US to urge ASEAN, ARF members to downgrade ties with North Korea in Manila meeting

August 3, 2017

The United States will urge countries, including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to downgrade ties with and isolate North Korea during next week’s Asian Regional Forum.

“Although the DPRK is a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum, we continue to encourage all countries, including ASEAN members, to downgrade diplomatic engagements or exchanges with the DPRK,” a US Embassy statement said Thursday.

The DPRK is Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.

North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile tests have triggered concern from the international community, particularly the United States.

The United Nations called North Korea’s latest missile test last week a “brazen violation of Security Council resolutions and constitutes a dangerous escalation of the situation.”

President Rodrigo Duterte, this year’s chairman of the ASEAN, lashed out at North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Manila is hosting from Aug. 2 to 8 the ASEAN ministerial meeting and post-ministerial meetings, including the ASEAN Regional Forum.

“We hope that all ARF members will use this forum, which is designed to address regional peace and security, to highlight that DPRK behavior has been unacceptable and call upon the DPRK to cease its unlawful actions,” the US embassy said. DMS