He said:

The international community strengthens its cooperation more than ever to put an end to the confrontation and contradiction between Palestine and Israel which lasted for over half a century and to ensure lasting peace in the Middle East.

At the 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Venezuela in September last year, the heads of states and governments reaffirmed their commitment to defend the interests of developing countries in the issues directly related to world peace and security such as the situation in the Middle East including the question of Palestine by promoting multilateralism especially by strengthening key role of the United Nations.

Furthermore, last December the United Nations Security Council adopted the resolution which urged Israel to stop the illegal construction of settlement area of Jews in the West Bank and East-al-Quds.

The DPRK delegation believes that the decision by U.S. President Trump to recognize Kuds as the capital of Israel and to move the U.S. embassy there well deserves a global condemnation and rejection as it is an open defiance of and an insult to the international legitimacy and to a unanimous will of the international society.

The status of Kuds remains so sensitive that it, for sure, should be solved fairly by means of regaining the national rights of the Palestinian people and striking a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Middle East problem.

The U.S. and Israel should bear full responsibility for all the consequences of tension and instability that will be entailed in the Middle East region owing to its reckless and highhanded act.

They should pay due attention to the efforts of the international community to solve the issue of the Middle East including question of Palestine in conformity with international law and other relevant UNSC resolutions for the benefit of the Palestinian and Arab people and attend the Middle East Peace Process with honesty and diligence.

My delegation avails itself of this opportunity to reiterate its support and encouragement to the struggle of Palestinian people retrieving their legitimate right to setting up the independent state with East-al-Quds as its capital and to the struggle of the Arab people for their cause of justice.