SYRIA: President Assad ”to visit North Korea”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad plans to make a state visit to North Korea, the North’s state news agency says. It would be the first time North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hosted a head of state since assuming power in 2011. He has undertaken a flurry of diplomatic activity recently, meeting China’s president in May, […]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad plans to make a state visit to North Korea, the North’s state news agency says.

It would be the first time North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hosted a head of state since assuming power in 2011.

He has undertaken a flurry of diplomatic activity recently, meeting China’s president in May, and is expected to attend a summit with Donald Trump this month.

Syria, an ally of the North, has made no comment on the reported plan.

The two countries have been accused of co-operating on chemical weapons. But both nations deny the accusations.

No date for the visit was mentioned by the North Korea’s KCNA news agency.

It quoted Mr Assad as saying on Wednesday: “I am going to visit [North Korea] and meet Kim Jong-un.”

His comments reportedly came as he received the credentials of North Korean ambassador Mun Jong-nam.