Manila: Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc want to engage North Korea in a dialogue to improve ties and boost peace and stability in nearby Korean Peninsula.
“We support initiatives to improve inter-Korean relations towards establishing permanent peace in the Korean Peninsula. Asean stands ready to play a constructive role in contributing to peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula,” the statement said, which was read by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Acting Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar in a press briefing in Manila.
The communique was issued as part of the ongoing 50th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Manila which the country is hosting as chairman of the regional bloc this year.
The regional bloc has been concerned with developments in North Korea, or the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), particularly the successive testing of the reclusive state’s Intercontinental Balistic Missiles (ICBM), which are capable of reaching out to targets beyond the Philippines.
Although the Philippines or for that matter, the Asean has no direct quarrel with North Korea, the fact that Pyongyang continues to demonstrate its capability to launch missiles to targets thousands of kilometres away is a source of concern not just for the region, but for the world.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is known for his brinkmanship — constantly testing the patience of the West and countries around his, including next-door neighbour South Korea.
On August 5, Asean ministers expressed their concern over the escalating tensions in the peninsula as the DPRK continued to carry out missile tests on July 4 and 28.
“These developments seriously threaten peace, security and stability in the region and the world. In this regard, we strongly urge the DPRK to immediately comply fully with its obligations under all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” Asean foreign ministers said, reiterating their call for complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.
“We reiterate our support for the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner, call for the exercise of self-restraint, and underscore the importance of creating conditions conducive for dialogue to de-escalate tensions,” the Asean foreign ministers added.
The statement was the second issued on North Korea during the Philippines’ Chairmanship of Asean. The first one was released on April 28 this year during the 30th Asean Summit.
The regional bloc strongly called upon North Korea, as a participant of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), “to positively contribute to realise the ARF Vision to maintain the Asia-Pacific as a region of lasting peace, stability, friendship and prosperity.”
