Quad leaders on Friday called for an end to violence in Myanmar, the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions as well as the immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees in a joint statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga were participating in the first-ever in-person Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Leaders' Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in Washington.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup on February 1, when the Myanmar military led by Senior General Ming Aung Hlaing overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The coup triggered mass protests and was met by deadly violence.
"We continue to call for the end to violence in Myanmar, the release of all political detainees, including foreigners, engagement in constructive dialogue, and for the early restoration of democracy," the joint statement said.
The leaders also called for the urgent implementation of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus.
The ASEAN five-point consensus states that there shall be an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and all parties shall exercise utmost restraint; constructive dialogue among all parties concerned shall commence to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.
The leaders also urged North Korea to abide by its UN obligations, refrain from provocations and called on Pyongyang to engage in substantive dialogue.
North and South Korea conducted ballistic missile tests within hours of each other in September earlier, displays of military power that raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula amid stalled talks over Pyongyang's nuclear program.
UN resolutions ban North Korea, a self-declared nuclear power, from any tests of ballistic missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads depending on their design.
The leaders also discussed the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea.
During the 1970s and 1980s, a string of incidents occurred involving the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea. The Government of Japan has so far identified 17 Japanese citizens as victims of abduction.
"We are committed to building democratic resilience in the Indo-Pacific and beyond," said the joint statement.
"We will deepen our cooperation in multilateral institutions, including at the United Nations, where reinforcing our shared priorities enhances the resilience of the multilateral system itself. Individually and together, we will respond to the challenges of our time, ensuring that the region remains inclusive, open, and governed by universal rules and norms," it further said.
(With ANI inputs)
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