Less than a week after Philippines president insulted his North Korean counterpart for conducting missile tests, he welcomed its foreign minister to an international meeting in capital Manila on Tuesday.
Rodrigo Duterte told North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho that Pyongyang would be “a good dialogue partner” of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the group marked its 50th anniversary.
Duterte exchanged pleasantries with Ri, shook hands as he welcomed foreign ministers one by one to the event.
“We are very pleased to have you here," Duterte told Ri before the start of the program, according to local media outlet Inquirer.
“Thank you for inviting me here. My warm congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the Asean,” Ri said.
Duterte who currently holds the chair of ASEAN told Ri: “We would be good dialogue partners”.
The warm welcome to Ri was surprising as Dutere had recently called the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a “fool” for fostering nuclear ambitions.
Philippines Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano clarified that Duterte’s warm gesture does not nullify ASEAN’s stance on the North Korea issue.
The foreign ministers of ASEAN’s 10-member states issued a statement last Saturday reiterating their “grave concern over the escalation of tensions” on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea, though not a member of the ASEAN, is part of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) -- an annual meeting of ASEAN and other countries including U.S., Russia and Japan.
“What I know, what the president told me is the ARF is a good venue for everyone to [hold] dialogue and for us to hear out North Korea...hopefully they will listen," Cayetano was quoted by local outlet Rappler as saying.
Cayetano also said in a press conference earlier that North Korea’s exit to the ARF was not discussed during the ASEAN meetings as the “U.S. did not file it as a formal proposal".
He added that the Philippines was against the inclusion of the words “land reclamation” and “non-militarization” of China in the disputed waters, as stated in the joint communique released by ASEAN.
“It's not reflective of the present situation,” said Cayetano. “They're not reclaiming land anymore, so why will you put it out again this year? There's militarization in the area but there is also militarization outside,” Cayetano added.
