Hanoi (VNA) – Representatives of the 10 ASEAN member countries at the 50thASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) have criticised the missiles and nuclearweapon programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
In a statement issued at the meeting, which opened on August 5 in thePhilippines, the foreign ministers expressed their concerns about increasingtension in the region after two ballistic missile tests of the DPRK last month.
They also urged the DRPK, a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), to strictly abide byrelevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and have constructive,practical actions to contribute to the maintenance of peace, security andstability in the Asian-Pacific region.
[Philippines rejects expulsion of DPRK from regional forum]
Earlier, the DPRK affirmed its launch of Hwasong-14 ballistic missile on July28, the second consecutive launch of its intercontinental missile.
The AMM 50 and related meetings will run until August 8.
On August 7, foreign ministers of ASEAN and 17 dialogue partners arescheduled to meet at the ARF – an important multilateral security dialogue – todiscuss hot issues in the region.
The Vietnamese delegation to the meetings is led by Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.-VNA