KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has called on North Korea to stop missile tests and suspend its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican also urged North Korea to comply with all obligations laid out under various United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
He said, without international stability and security, the economic progress of all nations would not be achieved, citing the issue the North’s missile launches as a source of anxiety and tension in East Asia.
Reezal said this at the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) 8th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Busan, South Korea.
The meeting was focused on efforts to strengthen the cooperation between the East Asia and Latin America region covering different sectors such as economy, development and security.
At the meeting, Reezal also described the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) which was establish in 1984 and has trained 11,645 officers from 26 FEALAC member states.
He also welcomed the participation of officials from Latin America to MTCP, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.
Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-Wha, who was chairman of the meeting, recognised Malaysia’s commitment to the issue of nuclear weapons in the Korean peninsula, the statement said.
He also commended MTCP’s offer as one of the approaches needed to work and build up together the East Asian and Latin America regions.
Wisma Putra also said Reezal had the opportunity to meet with South Korean president Moon Jae-in and present Malaysia’s appreciation to the South for their leadership and initiative in FEALAC.
He also held a meeting with Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Patti Londono Jaramillo in which they discussed ways to enhance bilateral ties, particularly in terms of trade.
On the forum itself, Wisma Putra said two documents were adopted — the Busan Declaration and FEALAC New Action Plan.
Malaysia has proposed that FEALAC should take the stand to accept wasitiyyah (moderation) as a platform for collaboration between nations to work towards stability and sustainable development.
The proposal was adopted unanimously by all 36 FEALAC member states, to be incorporated into the Busan Declaration.
After the forum, Reezal left for Seoul to celebrate Merdeka Day and Hari Raya Aidiladha with the Malaysian community in South Korea.