"We have asked all parties to exercise restraint and maintain peace in the Asia Pacific region because only under peaceful conditions could countries in the region be able to make high economic growth," foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has asked all parties to exercise restraint in connection with North Korea`s recent provocative acts, foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said.
"We have asked all parties to exercise restraint and maintain peace in the Asia Pacific region because only under peaceful conditions could countries in the region be able to make high economic growth," he said here on Friday.
In the past few days North Korea has produced threats of nuclear attacks on South Korea and the US in response to UN sanctions.
Even on Friday in a video it had issued a threat to invade South Korea and take around 150,000 US citizens in that country hostage.
In response to it, Tene said it was time for countries concerned to exercise restraints and immediately resume the Six Party talks that were halted in 2009.
"The forum is the right place for settling the North Korea nuclear dispute. We appealed to member countries to gather again for negotiations," he said.
The six party talks forum involving China, Russia, the US, South Korea, North Korea and Japan was set up 10 years ago to stop North Korea`s nuclear program.
North Korea quit the forum in 2009 and a year later revealed its nuclear enrichment facility to a group of visiting scientists from the US.
Tene said efforts to create peace in the Asia Pacific region would also be made at the ASEAN Regional Forum, adding ASEAN is also concerned with peace in the region.
"Peace in the Asia Pacific region is very important for ASEAN because under it countries in the region could enjoy welfare improvement," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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