Marcos Jr. flags stockpiling of weapons in some countries

JAKARTA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday flagged the stockpiling of weapons in some countries, underscoring that these “pose untold dangers to global peace and security.”

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) or North Korea should fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions, while diplomatic solutions should now be considered to address the conflict in Ukraine, Marcos Jr. said during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and East Asia (ASEAN-East Asia) Summit.

“Together with the threat of the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine as well as the recent surge of intercontinental ballistic missile tests and other actions taken by the DPRK, these pose untold dangers to global peace and security,” he said.

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“We call on the DPRK to fully comply with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions towards the realization of lasting peace and stability in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula,” he said.

“The Philippines firmly believes that it is now necessary to create conditions for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine. We call on all countries to play a constructive role in contributing to this endeavor, particularly our partners,” he added.

Meantime, the Philippine President also urged Myanmar to honor its commitment of allowing ASEAN to send a special envoy into the country that has been besieged by civil war.

In 2021, Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, leader of Myanmar’s military junta, agreed to immediately end violence in the country, hold a dialogue among all parties, appoint a special envoy to represent Myanmar in regional meetings, allow the entry of humanitarian assistance from ASEAN, and allow a representative to visit Myanmar to meet with all parties.

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But the junta leader backed down from this agreement, and instead launched a violent crackdown against those who criticize the military rule.

“The Philippines believes that key to any solution is the inclusive participation of all parties as required in the constructive dialogue called for by the Five-Point Consensus,” Marcos Jr. said.

“We maintain that endeavors by other parties to address the crisis should support and complement ASEAN’s efforts, and should be done in consultation with the ASEAN Chair,” he added.

Under ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, the regional bloc should not interfere with internal matters of any member state, but the association has also agreed not to invite officials of the military junta to its meetings to demonstrate that ASEAN does not recognize their forced authority over Myanmar.

Tensions within the regional bloc were also stoked after Thailand's foreign minister unilaterally met with exiled and imprisoned Myanmar leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

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