Australia says North Korean talks "encouraging"

The Australian foreign minister, Alexander Downer, has said he's hopeful that North Korea will take steps to allay international concern about the country's missile programme.

Speaking on a trip to Pyongyang, Mr Downer said his meetings with senior officials had been encouraging.

Earlier Mr Downer announced that Australia would provide more than five million dollars in food aid to help ease the country's chronic food shortages.

It's the first visit to Pyongyang by an Australian minister in twenty-five years.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service