[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Amid the deadlock in North Korea-U.S. denuclearization talks, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries have called for the resumption of dialogue between the parties involved.
According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the 18th, Pham Binh Minh, Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, who chaired the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held on the 17th in Nha Trang, southern Vietnam, stated at a press conference after the meeting, "We emphasized the importance of continuous peaceful dialogue among all parties for lasting peace and stability on a denuclearized Korean Peninsula."
He added, "We urged all parties to promptly and faithfully implement the Panmunjom Declaration, the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, and the Singapore Joint Statement between the North Korea and U.S. leaders, and to resume peaceful dialogue."
The ASEAN foreign ministers also noted the international community's efforts toward complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and reaffirmed their commitment to faithfully implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Regarding the South China Sea territorial disputes between China and neighboring countries, the ASEAN foreign ministers reaffirmed their position that the parties involved, as well as all countries, should refrain from actions that complicate the situation and resolve disputes peacefully in accordance with international law. They expressed concern over the recent Middle East situation and urged all parties to refrain from actions that worsen the situation and to resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.
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