Hanoi - Vietnam's government Monday joined those of Sweden,
Japan and others attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi in
denouncing North Korea's second nuclear test.
A statement released by Vietnam's Foreign Ministry Monday evening
said Hanoi was 'deeply concerned' by the North Korean nuclear test.
It said the test 'only complicates the situation, and does not serve
the interests of peace and stability in the region.'
Vietnam is one of the few countries that still maintains cordial
relations with North Korea, and officials from Pyongyang visit here
on a yearly basis.
The Vietnamese statement added to growing support at the ASEM
Foreign Ministers' meeting for a strong response to the North Korean
test.
Earlier in the day, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman
Kazuo Kodama said his country would press other ASEM governments to
issue a separate statement criticizing the North Korean move.
Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt issued a
statement decrying the North Korean efforts to 'provoke the
international community.'
Chinese and South Korean diplomats reportedly met with their North
Korean counterparts at a location separate from the conference, but
they issued no public comments.
The ASEM meeting had intended to concentrate on ways for Europe
and Asia to cooperate in fighting the global financial crisis and
engendering economic recovery. But the meeting appeared increasingly
derailed by the North Korean move, which clearly occupied much of the
diplomats' time on Monday.
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