ASEAN ministers ready to mediate talks on Korean dispute

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states said they intend to form a mechanism for mediation of talks between South and North Koreas."The ministers expressed their deep concern over the worsening situation on the Korean peninsula and called on the conflicting sides to show restraint and take immediate steps to restore composure and ease tensions," the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the meeting of ASEAN top diplomats in Brunei.Brunei Times daily reported that that the ministers expressed readiness to mediate the talks between Seoul and Pyongyang at the ASEAN regional forum this June in Brunei, where representatives of South and North Koreas were expected to attend.Tensions began escalating on the Korean Peninsula after international sanctions were imposed on North Korea in response to a long-range rocket launch in December, which world powers condemned as a ballistic missile test. North Korea responded by carrying out a third nuclear test in February, which was followed by more sanctions.Pyongyang has threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes against the US mainland and US military bases in the region.