Pyongyang, Jul 11 (V7N) — North Korea has strongly condemned the 35th NATO Summit held in Ankara, Turkey, accusing the alliance of promoting military confrontation and calling for global nuclear disarmament to begin with the United States and its allies.
According to Reuters, North Korea's Foreign Ministry made the remarks in a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday.
The ministry said NATO leaders continue to portray North Korea's exercise of what it described as its "legitimate sovereign rights" as a security threat while strengthening military cooperation with partners in the Asia-Pacific region and increasing defence spending.
The statement further alleged that the alliance is deepening bloc-based confrontation through expanded military cooperation and a significant rise in arms procurement.
North Korea also criticized announcements made during the Ankara summit regarding military equipment purchases and defence industry contracts reportedly worth more than 50 billion U.S. dollars.
"The summit has once again demonstrated that NATO is an organization driven by war and confrontation," the Foreign Ministry said, according to KCNA.
Pyongyang also reiterated its position that meaningful global nuclear disarmament should begin with the United States and its allies before expecting other countries to reduce their nuclear capabilities.
Source: Reuters
END/SMA/AJ
