GMA lauds North Korea’s decision to rejoin six-party nuclear talks

HONG KONG (via PLDT) — President Arroyo praised yesterday North Korea for agreeing to return to six-nation nuclear talks, and spoke about the issue in a wide-ranging round-table interview with reporters during a brief visit here to drum up investment for the Philippines.

Speaking to reporters in Hong Kong after attending an ASEAN-China regional summit, the President outlined a future role for the bloc in holding North Korea to any agreement that may come from resumed talks on ending its nuclear program.

"We must act in solidarity on North Korea," she said. "Regional security has never been more important. The success of the effort is very clear — Pyongyang has agreed to return to talks."

Mrs. Arroyo called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to adopt a more muscular security role to keep a check on North Korea.

"We are the closest geographically (among ASEAN nations) to the Korean peninsula, so any conflagration in the Koreas makes the Philippines very vulnerable," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo praised China for helping to get North Korea back to the negotiating table.

"I’m very grateful that China is playing a very hands-on role in this," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said China and the ASEAN were successful in playing a key role in resolving peacefully the issue on North Korea’s nuclear tests.

"I was very impressed by China playing a hands-on role in resolving the issue," she said.

"I think that was very successful. Why am I saying this? Because the proof of the success — Pyongyang’s declaration, statement that they are going to resume the party talks.

"It was the statement of ASEAN and statement of China. This strong statement of ASEAN leaders together with China, I think, was very successful in that Pyongyang announced that they will go back to the six party talks."

Mrs. Arroyo said China played an important role in bringing North Korea to the negotiating table being its neighbor and primary trade partner.

"We continue to play the role that we need to play to make sure this will come about and this will be successful," she said.

She made sure to bring up the issue with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and the other leaders during the summit even if it was usually focused on economic matters, Mrs. Arroyo said.

In Nanning, ASEAN and China called for the immediate revival of the six-party talks to bring a diplomatic and peaceful solution to North Korea’s nuclear program.

"We were impressed by the unanimity of every leader on the issue of North Korea and their resolve to work together as a region to seek a diplomatic solution to the resumption of the six-party talks," Mrs. Arroyo said, reading from a joint statement of the leaders attending the ASEAN-China commemorative summit to celebrate the 15th year of ASEAN-China Dialogue.

"We all stand for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," Wen said. — With AP, AFP