ASEAN Supports Dialogue on NK Nukes
2003-05-02
The Senior Officials' Meeting of the ASEAN plus Three, including South Korea, China and Japan, expressed hope that the momentum of dialogue following the recent three-way talks will be maintained, assessing last week's Beijing meeting as a starting point toward the resolution of the brewing North Korean nuclear brawl, a Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry official said on Thursday (May 1).
"The participants also underlined the need for ASEAN member nations to play more active roles in helping resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff," said the official, explaining the outcome of the meeting held in Cambodia April 29.
Seoul explained the security situation on the Korean peninsula after the three-way talks among North Korea, China and the United States, and appealed to the participating nations to support the government's North Korea policy of "peace and prosperity."
Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Su-hyuck attended the meeting as a representative of the Seoul government.
South Korea also revealed its intention to donate $5 million to promote the Initiative for ASEAN Integration, designed to narrow economic gaps among the ASEAN member nations.
Senior officials from South Korea, China and Japan held separate meetings to coordinate their policies on various pending issues covering security, trade, investment and environment.
"The senior officials from the three nations agreed to take measures to strengthen cooperative relations in various areas, and working level officials will begin deliberation on specific details," the ministry official said.
They also discussed preparatory measures for the summit meeting of the three nations slated for October and the meeting of foreign ministers in June.
Source : www.korea.net
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