ARF set to back more N. Korean nuke talks

ARF set to back more N. Korean nuke talks

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) foreign ministers will urge all the
participants in the six-nation talks to continue their dialog
process to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis despite the
fact that their third round parley in the Chinese capital ended
on Saturday without any breakthrough.

"Although there was no breakthrough during the talks in
Beijing, the dialog process itself is important and the ARF will
support its continuation," M.C. Abad Jr., the head of the newly
established ASEAN ARF Unit, told journalists on Saturday on the
sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Jakarta.

An ASEAN Special SOM decided last month in Yogyakarta to
establish an ARF Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. This
new unit will assist the ARF Chair with its day-to-day
activities.

"The ARF foreign ministers will certainly discuss the subject
(North Korean nuclear issue) but there is no final formulation
yet," Abad said.

Indonesia, the current chair of both the ASEAN and ARF, has
also expressed a similar view on the six-nation talks in Beijing.

"There is a general sense and belief that we have to support
the six-party talks and there was also a similar sentiment
expressed at the meeting (SOM) today," Indonesian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs' spokesman Marty A. Natalegawa said at a press
briefing after the end of the first day deliberations of the SOM.

"We have to show an expression of support and readiness to
assist if we are asked to do what we can at ASEAN to promote the
six-party talks," said Marty, who is also the director general
for ASEAN cooperation at the ministry.

The third round talks were overshadowed by North Korean
comments that elements in Pyongyang were determined to test a
nuclear weapon.

But, the six nations agreed to hold a fourth round of talks in
Beijing by the end of September and resume the working group
meeting as soon as possible.

All the six nations -- North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan,
Russia and the United States -- that participated in the Beijing
parley are also members of the ARF.

The ARF will provide an opportunity for North Korean Foreign
Minister Paek Nam-sun to meet informally with his counterparts
from South Korea, the U.S., and Japan during his stay in Jakarta.

During their first day of deliberations, ASEAN senior
officials discussed on Saturday an action plan to boost security
and counterterrorist cooperation in the region, and to prepare
the agenda for next week's 37th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM).

On July 2, all the major powers in the world will attend the
annual 11th ASEAN Regional Forum Meeting, also in Jakarta.

Abad said that the ARF would also encourage Myanmar to
continue its efforts to achieve national reconciliation.

"We will encourage Myanmar to continue its efforts of national
reconciliation and transition, including the lifting of
restrictions on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi," he said.