MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) criticized North Korea’s missile tests in the Chairman’s Statement issued by the Philippines on Thursday, November 16.

The Chairman’s Statement scored the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) for violating United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions by launching missile tests. 

“We expressed grave concerns over the recent provocative and threatening actions, including the nuclear test, by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on September 3, 2017, and its ballistic missile tests over the past year, which are in contravention of UNSC resolutions,” said the ASEAN Chairman’s Statement released on Thursday.

“Noting that these developments seriously threaten peace and stability in the entire region and beyond, we strongly urged the DPRK to fully and immediately comply with its obligations arising from all the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” it added.

“We reiterated our support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner and called for the exercise of self-restraint and the resumption of dialogue in order to deescalate tensions and create conditions conducive to peace and stability, the ASEAN Chairman’s statement added.

In this Chairman’s Statement, ASEAN also touched on other topics, such as the South China Sea dispute. 

The 10-member bloc stressed the need for “non-militarization and self-restraint,” while avoiding criticizing China over its militarization of the disputed South China Sea.

The recent statements on North Korea after ASEAN foreign ministers also expressed “grave concerns” over North Korea’s missile tests. 

The Philippines is hosting the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, attended by the leaders of the ASEAN member-countries and their dialogue partners, including the United States. (WATCH: Duterte sings ‘upon the orders’ of Trump)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has also met with some of his foreign counterparts individually, including US President Donald Trump. Bilateral meetings between Duterte and other leaders gace also been scheduled. – Rappler.com