ASEM foreign chiefs to voice “grave concerns” over North Korea

November 16, 2017

Bangkok- Foreign ministers from some 50 Asian and European countries will express "grave concerns" over the situation on the Korean Peninsula when they meet in Myanmar for two days from Monday, Jiji Press learned on Thursday.

The ministers will voice "grave concerns over the escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula," including the intercontinental ballistic missile tests conducted by North Korea on July 4 and 28, and its Sept. 3 nuclear test, according to a draft of the chairman's statement to be adopted at the ministerial session of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum.

The ministers will strongly call on North Korea to fully and immediately comply with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions and refrain from further provocations, according to the draft.

Meanwhile, the draft statement includes no direct reference to the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. It says that "irregular migration causes multiple challenges to countries of origin, transit and destination."

The ASEM forum comprises 21 Asian nations, including Japan, China and South Korea, but excluding North Korea, and 30 European countries, including Britain and France. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union are also its members.

Over North Korea, ASEAN leaders said in a statement adopted at their summit on Monday that its nuclear and missile tests "seriously threaten peace and stability in the entire region and beyond." The reclusive country was also condemned by regional leaders at an East Asia Summit meeting on Tuesday.

Meanwhile looking back at his recent Asian tour, US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he fully agreed with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to keep working together to realize the denuclearization of North Korea.

"Prime Minister Abe and I agreed on our absolute determination to remain united to achieve the goal of denuclearized North Korea," Trump said.

The president returned home Tuesday night after the tour, which took him to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. Trump said the US standing in the international community "has never been stronger."

Japan was "committed to shouldering more of the burden of our common defense by reimbursing costs borne by American taxpayers, as well as by making deep investments in Japan's own military," he said.

"This will include purchases of US advanced capabilities from jet fighters to missile defense systems worth many, many billions of dollars," Trump said, forecasting that the purchases will help create jobs in his country.

The two leaders "also discussed ways we can deepen our trade relationship based on the core principles of fairness and reciprocity," he said.

Trump also said he highlighted the importance of "fair and reciprocal trade" during the trip, reiterating his policy of cutting US trade deficits. Jiji Press