North Korea joined Russia, Belarus, Iran and Myanmar in signing a joint statement on Tuesday pledging to develop a new security framework for the Eurasian region, formalizing Pyongyang’s role in a bloc of nations seeking to counter Western influence.

The statement, released by Belarus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, committed the five countries to begin an “inclusive consultative process” aimed at creating the “Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century.”

The signatories agreed to discuss “substantive and procedural issues” related to the charter, according to the statement. The timing and venue of the next stage of the