Asia-Europe Meeting calls on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear, missile programs

Participants in the Asia-Europe Meeting call on North Korea to irreversibly dismantle its nuclear and missile programs, according to the forum’s statement released on Friday.

"Leaders underlined that the development of inter-Korean relations, the complete denuclearisation of, and the peace regime on the Korean Peninsula are important for peace, security and stability, not only in East Asia but also for the entire world," the document says.

"Leaders called on the DPRK to completely, verifiably and irreversibly dismantle all its nuclear and other Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), ballistic missiles and related programmes and facilities in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions; and also called on the DPRK to fulfil its commitment made to complete denuclearisation," it stresses.

The delegates welcomed efforts towards a lasting solution through diplomacy and complete implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions. "In this context, they urged the DPRK to return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and IAEA safeguards at an early date and to cooperate with its monitoring system," the document says.