Apec delivers North Korea warning
Chinese president Hu Jintao met with US president George Bush this morning to discuss North Korea
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Sunday, 19, Nov 2006 07:35
Asian and Pacific leaders have issued a statement condemning North Korea's development of nuclear weapons.
The statement follows strenuous efforts by US president George Bush to convince the 21 leaders meeting at the Asian-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) conference this weekend that a strong showing of opposition to North Korea's actions is needed.
"We reiterate our commitment to peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in north-east Asia, and our resolve toward a peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue," the statement, read out by Apec chairman Nguyen Minh Triet to reporters, was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.
"We express our strong concern over the July 4th-5th missile launches and October 9th nuclear test conducted by [North Korea], which poses a clear threat to our shared interest of peace and security and our shared goal of achieving a nuclear weapons-free Korean peninsula."
Observers have pointed out that the statement's oral rather than written delivery in a closed Apec session undermines its impact, reflecting concerns among Apec leaders that the preferred US stance is overly confrontational.
US deputy national security advisor David McCormick downplayed such concerns, however, saying that "I think what was important was that the members of Apec kind of came together on a common statement".
He pointed out that the statement reflected a common thinking reflected throughout all of President Bush's meetings with regional leaders, including in that with Chinese president Hu Jintao.
"Both leaders agreed again on the significance of successful implementation of the resolution and the need for North Korea to really get a clear message on this point," Mr McCormick said, referring to this morning's meeting with President Hu.
Although today's statement may not go far enough for President Bush's administration the statement will certainly underline wider international condemnation of Pyongyang's nuclear initiatives.
Last month the UN security council issued a strongly-worded statement saying that North Korea's ambitions "jeopardise peace, stability and security in the region and beyond".