Pacific leaders condemn North Korea's threat

The leaders of the Pacific Island Forum have strongly condemned North Korea for threatening to send a nuclear missile to Guam.

The leaders say the threat on Guam is a threat for the entire region.

The Chairman of the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting (PIF) Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi said the Pacific Leaders have agreed on the importance of ensuring the full implementation of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

The condemnation was made during a press conference at the end of the Forum Leaders Retreat at Taumeasina Island Resort last Friday. Tuilaepa was accompanied by the Secretary General of the Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, who has been reappointed for another three-year term.

Tuilaepa said the Pacific Leaders are committed to the deregistering of any North Korea trading or fishing vessels currently flagged on Pacific states’ shipping registers.

“New Zealand and Australia will assist other member states with intelligence gathering to identify illegally flagged DPRK vessels by North Korea,” he said.

“It’s been reported that some of the ships are fishing illegally under the flags of these countries without their knowledge.”

The Pacific Leaders unanimously reappointed Dame as Secretary General of PIFs. She told the media that while she’s pleased, it’s not lost on her the enormous responsibility that comes with it.

“Because the issues are much more complex now, and we live in much more complex environment and this is what the leaders were discussing in terms of security. The Climate and Ocean issues, the issues around the Marshal Islands, we are trying to work out what the Pacific can do to help out with the radioactive contamination.

“There are also the human rights issues in the different parts of our region and Human rights are mentioned in the West Papua issue.”

Prime Minister Tuilaepa on behalf of the Pacific Leaders expressed their condolences and sadness on the damage sustained and lives lost by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean Countries.

“This is the type of concern in which the Pacific Islands have always been in the forefront of the fight against climate change.”

According to reports from off island, Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands after making landfall in Barbuda has been devastated, as this is the most powerful Atlantic Ocean storm recorded in history.

Irma passed over Barbuda early as a Category 5 hurricane and around 90% of the nation’s structures and vehicles have been destroyed, killing at least one person. Nauru will be hosting the PIFs next year.

SOURCE: SAMOA OBSERVER/PACNEWS