Japan and Pacific Nations discuss North Korean sanctions and ‘rule of law’ at sea during two-day summit
The Abe administration has pushed ahead with in an apparent effort to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China
Japan and Pacific island countries on Saturday called on North Korea to take concrete actions toward denuclearisation by complying with UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile development, as they wrapped up a two-day summit meeting in northeastern Japan.
In the joint declaration released after the gathering in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and leaders from 14 Pacific island nations expressed “deep concerns” over the North evading international sanctions by transferring cargoes at sea.
The leaders “strongly called on North Korea to immediately take concrete actions” in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and pledged “their commitment to exerting continued pressure on North Korea.”
“The leaders stressed the importance of seeking a peaceful and diplomatic resolution toward complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including biological and chemical weapons, and ballistic missiles as well as related facilities of North Korea,” the declaration said.
The leaders stressed the importance of seeking a peaceful and diplomatic resolution toward … irreversible dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction
It is the first time for Japan and the Pacific island countries to mention the North Korean issue in their declaration. Japan has hosted a regional summit with the Pacific island nations every three years since 1997.
