(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said ASEAN member countries are “extremely worried” because of the rising tensions following the North Korean firing of a ballistic missile, saying this is putting “Mother Earth on an edge” and could lead to a nuclear war where Asia will be the first victim.
“The countries of ASEAN, or ASEAN as a word is extremely worried. There seems to be two countries playing with their toys, and those toys are not really to entertain,” Duterte said.
The 72-year old Philippine president said “one miscalculation” could lead to a nuclear war where Mother Earth loses, and would mean the end of everything.
And Asia would be the first victim, Duterte stressed Saturday night during his press conference just before the ASEAN Summit gala dinner he is hosting for nine other ASEAN leaders.
“If one miscalculation, one explosion there would hit somebody would cause a catastrophe, it would really mean the first victim would be Asia, and the whole of the ASEAN countries and the rest,” he said.
“Because if those are really nuclear warheads, then it means the end of the world. If the region and the planet will become dry, nothing will grow and we will shrink little by little,” Duterte said.
“There will be hunger, agony and everybody suffers. And only because two nations are playing with their dangerous toys,” he said.
Duterte said that prudence and caution could be the only thing that could save the world in this power play. And for him, it would be better to just be patient.
“And we have to caution everybody, including those who would give the advice to the two power players because of the nuclear warheads … to just.. to restrain. And it behooves upon America who has the biggest stick to just be prudent and be patient.
“We know we are playing with somebody who relishes letting go of his missiles and everything. I would not want to go into his mind because I really don’t know what’s inside,” Duterte said referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
President Duterte said that he would be appealing to America, particularly to President Donald Trump, to see to it that there would be no war, as Asia, this region would be the first victim.
“It behooves as I said on America because it’s a more responsible country. I am sure President Trump by now is cautioning his military to just… hang on there and not to start something which they cannot control,” he told reporters in the press conference after the ASEAN Summit and related meetings.
‘So I’m expecting actually a call from President Trump tonight. And who I am to say that you should stop. But I would just say, ‘Mr President please see to it that there is no war because my region will suffer immensely,” Duterte said.
He noted that the North Korean leader seemed to be very happy with showing off his country’s weapons and arsenal which was like having a fireworks display, citing the Tagalog word for this, “kwitis.”
“It shows on the face that he enjoys. Let him. But I would… I would just communicate, ‘let him play with his… Do not play into his hands,” he added.
President Duterte said he would be issuing a communique about the Korean peninsula issue in the ASEAN chairman’s statement that he would be issuing expectedly late Saturday night.
ASEAN has already issued a statement coming from the region’s foreign ministers regarding the issue, where they expressed their “grave concern over the escalation of tension in the Korean Peninsula, including the DPRK’s two nuclear tests in 2016 and subsequent ballistic missile launches.”
The statement was issued Thursday, before North Korea fired its ballistic missile Saturday in apparent defiance of a US push for tougher international sanctions to curb the Asian country’s nuclear threat.
The ASEAN foreign ministers’ statement said it is strongly urging North Korea “to comply fully with its obligations arising from all relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions and international laws in the interest of maintaining international peace and security.”
“ASEAN also urges the DPRK and all parties concerned to exercise self-restraint in order to de-escalate the tension and refrain from actions that may aggravate the situation,” the statement said
“ASEAN supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and in this regard, calls for the resumption of dialogue on the Korean Peninsula to defuse tensions and create conditions conducive to peace and stability,” it said.