ASEAN foreign ministers call for resuming talks on North Korea’s nuclear program

SEOUL, July 26. /TASS/. The foreign ministers of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries call for resuming six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program, the joint communique released after the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the capital of Laos, Vientiane, said on Tuesday. "We shared concern over current developments in the Korean Peninsula, including the nuclear tests on 6 January 2016, rocket launch on 7 February 2016 and ballistic missile launch on 9 July 2016, by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) which are in violation of the UNSC resolutions," the communique said. "We also urged the DPRK to comply with all relevant UNSC resolutions, including the UNSC Resolution 2270 and acknowledged the importance to exercise self-restraint and called on all parties to exert common efforts to maintain peace and security in the said region and create an environment conducive to the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks to make further progress in denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," the foreign ministers of ASEAN member countries added. Six-Party Talks on the situation on the Korean Peninsula with regard to Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs were held with participation of China, South Korea, Russia, United States and Japan. Negotiations were suspended in 2009 on Pyongyang’s initiative. Read more