For the first time ever, North Korea participated in the annual event. Tokyo welcomed the involvement of the reclusive regime, saying that its inclusion in ARF may lead to enhanced regional cooperation and security. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer praised the move as an important step in opening a dialogue. The North Korean delegation, led by Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, held discussions with various Asean ministers on the sidelines of the ARF meeting, indicating a new willingness on the part of Pyongyang to talk with its adversaries. Moreover, Pyongyang has announced a moratorium on ballistic missile tests, a major cause of instability in Northeast Asia.
Problems remain, however, headed by the uncertain prospects for peace on the Korean peninsula.
The regional forum addressed a range of other issues, including the controversial American plan to develop a national missile defense system. Delegates from Canada, China and Russia, among other countries, voiced strong opposition to the NMD, warning that it could spark an arms race and upset the international strategic balance. Tokyo, which may pursue a localized missile defense system if Washington's program advances, did not step in to offer support for the United States, taking instead a neutral stance on the NMD issue. On internal matters, Asean members reaffirmed the group's pledge to support the territorial integrity of Indonesia, including the provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya, two areas where separatist pressures continue to mount. East Timor now is being run by a transitional United Nations administration.