ASEAN Regional Forum urges nuclear weapon states to advance towards nuclear disarmament

Group discusses Myanmar's humanitarian situation, Gaza, North Korea's denuclearization, Ukraine war

Saadet Gokce |12.07.2025 - TRT/AA



ISTANBUL

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum meeting has urged the nuclear weapon states to "fulfil their obligations in advancing nuclear disarmament" and to "recognize the need to completely eliminate nuclear weapons."

ASEAN, along with several other nations, including the US, during the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on Friday, reiterated "the importance of strengthening international and regional cooperative efforts in nuclear non-proliferation," according to a statement from the chair.

The meeting reaffirmed the group's commitment to "preserving the Southeast Asian region as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone."

It emphasized the importance of strengthening "mutual trust and confidence" and exercising self-restraint "in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation" in the South China Sea.

The meeting also expressed "deep concern over the escalation of conflicts and humanitarian situation in Myanmar" and denounced "the continued acts of violence against civilians and public facilities," while also urging all parties to "take concrete action to immediately halt indiscriminate violence."

It stressed the importance of "resuming peaceful dialogue among all concerned parties in order to realize lasting peace and stability in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula," expressing its "grave concern over the recent surge in North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile testing and ballistic missile launches."

The meeting underscored the importance of "immediate cessation of hostilities and the serious engagement in a genuine dialogue for the peaceful resolution of the conflict" in Ukraine.

The meeting also urged an "immediate and permanent ceasefire" in Gaza and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, especially women, children, the sick and the elderly," condemning "all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure."

It reaffirmed its "longstanding support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the rights to self-determination, and to their homeland," and called on all parties "to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict with a view to realizing the two-State solution in accordance with international law."

The expanded security forum is attended by the US, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and the EU, as well as other countries in South Asia and the Pacific in addition to the ASEAN members.

Notably, Pyongyang did not attend this year's session, for the first time since 2000, according to the Yonhap News.

ARF Members Express Concern over Korean Peninsula Security, Calls for 'Complete Denuclearization'

Written: 2025-07-12 

Photo : Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Southeast Asian countries and Indo-Pacific partners, including South Korea and the United States, have expressed concern over the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, calling for efforts to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the peninsula.

In a Chairman's Statement adopted Friday at the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum(ARF) in Kuala Lumpur, participants expressed serious concern over North Korea’s growing number of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other missile launches, as well as the rising tensions on the peninsula.

Top diplomats from the participating nations urged the North to fully comply with all relevant UN Security Council(UNSC) resolutions, while calling for dialogue among the concerned parties to achieve lasting peace and stability on a denuclearized peninsula.

This year's statement only called for the North's denuclearization to be "complete," omitting the phrase "complete, verifiable, and irreversible" which had appeared in ARF statements over the past three years. Some observers see the softer tone as reflecting the new South Korean government's more conciliatory approach.

The ARF is an expanded security forum led by the ten-member ASEAN bloc and includes 17 other participants, such as South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan, the European Union, and North Korea.

However, North Korea did not attend this year’s forum for the first time, amid strained diplomatic ties with host country Malaysia.