Foreign ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) reaffirmed their commitment to support Afghanistan on its path to long-term stability and urged nuclear nonproliferation efforts in Iran and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) during a two-day meeting that concluded Friday.
As Afghanistan is still faced with grave challenges such as terrorism, insecurity, poverty, corruption, illegal drug production, the G8 nations agreed during talks at a working dinner to assist the country "through a holistic approach to its stability and reconstruction."
The G8 members will accelerate assistance to build the Afghan National Army and Police and strengthen support for Afghanistan in other elements of security sector reform, said a statement on Afghanistan released after the working dinner.
Urging its neighbors to play a constructive role for the stability of Afghanistan, the ministers maintained that Afghanistan and Pakistan continue their cooperation in a constructive way and mutually beneficial manner through dialogue.
In this regard, the G8 countries endorsed more than 150 projects currently planned or implemented by the G8 members, and pledged strengthened assistance to the border regions between the two countries.
International efforts for nuclear nonproliferation, along with peace building in Afghanistan, was also one of the key issues on the table of the ministerial meeting.
During the working sessions, the ministers called on Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and welcomed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) move in providing a declaration of its nuclear inventory.
Expressing serious concern over the proliferation risks posed by the Iranian nuclear program, the ministers strongly urge Iran to "answer all of the IAEA's questions without further delay" and comply with its international obligations and suspend all enrichment-related activities.
Iran also needs to respond to the updated incentives package in a constructive way, said the chairman's statement released towards the conclusion of the G8 foreign ministers meeting.
The top diplomats expressed the hope that Iran will act in a more responsible and constructive manner in the region, particularly in the context of the Middle East Peace Process and the stability of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, they reiterated their commitment to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, welcoming the DPRK's provision of the declaration as an important step towards achieving the goal.
The ministers also urged the DPRK to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs as well as ballistic missile programs and live up to its Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations under the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005 and UN Security Council Resolutions 1695 and 1718.
The ministers underscored the significance of verifying the declaration and swiftly disabling all existing nuclear facilities as well as that of expediting the Six-Party Talks toward the full implementation of the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005.
They also expressed "grave concern" about the situation in Zimbabwe.
"We deplore the actions of the Zimbabwean authorities... which have made a free and fair Presidential run-off election impossible," said a document entitled "G8 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Zimbabwe."
"We strongly urge the Zimbabwean authorities to work with the opposition to achieve a prompt, peaceful resolution of the crisis...cooperate fully with the international efforts," it said, adding that the ministers will continue to closely monitor the situation.
In light of Pakistan's strategic importance, they concurred that the stability of Pakistan is conducive to that of the international community at large, calling for support for the country's drive to achieve sustained economic growth.
Concerning cyclone-hit Myanmar, the ministers reached a consensus that the G8 nations will continue to support its reconstruction efforts, urging its government to accept rescue personnel from outside to help with the relief operations.
During the meeting, the top diplomats also exchanged views on the Middle East, Sudan, and issues of counter-terrorism, transnational organized crime.
The G8 foreign ministers gathered Thursday in the ancient Japanese city of Kyoto. The two-day meeting is the last of a series of G8 ministerial conferences in the run-up to the G8 summit scheduled for July 7-9 at the Toyako (Lake Toya) resort area in Hokkaido.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article