NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Friday called on North Korea to stop provocations and give up weapons of mass destruction programs, stressing the communist state’s bellicose attitude posed a serious threat to the region and beyond.

“We are watching with grave concern a series of statements, missile launches and nuclear tests. They pose a serious threat to regional and international peace, security and stability,” he said during a press conference in Seoul.

“I urge the North Korean authorities to immediately stop such destabilizing actions and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, which are in blatant violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.”

He also expressed appreciation for Seoul’s contribution to global peace and security including its participation in the anti-piracy campaign in waters off the Somali coast.

“You (South Korea) are playing an exemplary role in Afghanistan. And you are operating with NATO in countering the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden,” he said.

Rasmussen arrived here on Thursday for a three-day schedule including talks with top Korean officials over security cooperation and escalating North Korea’s military threats. He is the first chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to visit Seoul.

In a meeting with Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin earlier in the day, he appreciated South Korea’s active engagement in a multinational campaign to rebuild Afghanistan and called for continued interest in it.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)