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04/18/2023 11:18 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The text of the following communiqué was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union.
I. INTRODUCTION
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom (U.K.) and the United States of America (U.S.), and the High Representative of the European Union, underline our strong sense of unity as the world navigates grave threats to the international system, including Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine. We reaffirm our commitment to collective action to address global challenges, including climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity, health, and food and energy security, and to uphold and reinforce the free and open international order based on the rule of law, respecting the United Nations (UN) Charter. We will continue to work with our partners to promote open, transparent, resilient, and sustainable societies that champion human rights, justice, and dignity, and address the needs of the most vulnerable. We reaffirm our intention to promote human security and continue building a global community that leaves no one behind. We call on all partners to join us in addressing these pressing global challenges and to work together to build a better, more prosperous, and more secure future.
II. PROMOTING PEACE AND SECURITY
1 Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
We once again condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a serious violation of international law, including the UN Charter. Russia must withdraw all forces and equipment from Ukraine immediately and unconditionally. We recommit today to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes and to providing sustained security, economic, and institutional support to help Ukraine defend itself, secure its free and democratic future, and deter future Russian aggression.
We reiterate our support for President Zelenskyy’s efforts to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, in line with the UN Charter, and we support the basic principles outlined in his Peace Formula. We also welcome the resolution A/RES/ES-11/6, which was adopted on February 23, 2023, with the broad support of the international community at the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). We will continue to help Ukraine repair and restore its critical energy and environmental infrastructure and reemphasize our strong support for Ukraine’s energy security. Ukraine’s anti-corruption and domestic reform efforts must continue, and we will support them. In this regard, we reiterate our full confidence in the G7 Ambassadors Support Group in Ukraine and its role of supporting the implementation process.
Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and its threat to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are unacceptable. Any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences. We recall the importance of the 77-year record of non-use of nuclear weapons since 1945. We condemn Russia’s continued seizure and militarization of Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which could lead to potentially severe consequences for nuclear safety and security. We support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) efforts to help strengthen nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, including the Director General’s leadership on efforts at the ZNPP.
We remain committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia, coordinating and fully enforcing them, including through the Enforcement Coordination Mechanism, and countering Russia’s and third parties’ attempts to evade and undermine our sanctions measures. We reiterate our call on third parties to cease assistance to Russia’s war, or face severe costs. We will reinforce our coordination to prevent and respond to third parties supplying weapons to Russia and continue to take actions against those who materially support Russia’s war against Ukraine. We are determined, consistent with our respective legal systems, that Russia’s sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain immobilized until there is a resolution of the conflict that addresses Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any resolution to the conflict must ensure Russia pays for the damage it has caused.
There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure. We further condemn the unlawful transfer and deportation of Ukrainians, including children, and conflict-related sexual violence against Ukrainians. We reiterate our commitment to holding those responsible to account consistent with international law, including by supporting the efforts of international mechanisms, in particular the International Criminal Court. We support exploring the creation of an internationalized tribunal based in Ukraine’s judicial system to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine. In addition, we underscore the importance of the protection and preservation of Ukrainian cultural properties and heritage damaged and threatened by the war of aggression.
Russia’s weaponization of food and energy resources has compounded economic vulnerabilities, exacerbated already dire humanitarian crises, and escalated global food and energy insecurity. We will continue to provide assistance, including food-related aid, to help affected countries and populations.
2 Indo-Pacific
We reiterate the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, based on the rule of law, and that protects shared principles including sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights. We reaffirm individual initiatives of the G7 members and welcome those of our partners to enhance their engagement with the region. We underscore our commitment to further strengthening our coordination among the G7 on the region, to working with regional partners, including ASEAN and its member states. We reaffirm our unwavering support for ASEAN centrality and unity and our commitment to promoting cooperation in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We also reaffirm our partnership with Pacific Island countries and reiterate the importance of supporting their priorities and needs, in accordance with the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, including through the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2024. We welcome and further encourage efforts made by the private sector, universities and think tanks, which contribute to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
3 China
We recognize the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China. We acknowledge the need to work together with China on global challenges as well as areas of common interest, including on climate change, biodiversity, global health security, and gender equality. We reiterate our call for China to act as a responsible member of the international community. We stand prepared to work together to build constructive and stable relations through dialogue and to promote global economic recovery and people-to-people exchanges in a mutually beneficial way. It is in the interest of all countries, including China, to ensure transparent, predictable, and fair business environments. Legitimate business activities and interests of foreign companies must be protected from unfair, anti-competitive, and non-market practices, including through illegitimate technology transfer or data disclosure in exchange for market access. We encourage China to uphold its commitments to act responsibly in cyberspace, including refraining from conducting or supporting cyber-enabled intellectual property theft for commercial gain.
We remind China of the need to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and abstain from threats, coercion, intimidation, or the use of force. We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. There is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and we oppose China’s militarization activities in the region. We emphasize the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and reaffirm UNCLOS’ important role in setting out the legal framework that governs all activities in the oceans and the seas. We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016, is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceeding, and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties.
We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element in security and prosperity in the international community, and call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. There is no change in the basic positions of the G7 members on Taiwan, including stated one China policies. We support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including in the World Health Assembly and WHO technical meetings, as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite and as an observer or guest where it is. The international community should be able to benefit from the experience of all partners. We continue to raise our concerns with China on reported human rights violations and abuses, including in Xinjiang and Tibet. We reiterate our concerns over the continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy rights and freedoms, and call on China to act in accordance with its international commitments and legal obligations, including those enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.
We call on China to act in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
4 North Korea
We strongly condemn North Korea’s unprecedented number of unlawful ballistic missile launches, including the April 13 launch of what North Korea claimed as a solid-fuel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Each of these launches violated multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). North Korea’s actions, together with increasingly escalatory and destabilizing rhetoric regarding the use of nuclear weapons, undermine regional stability and pose a grave threat to international peace and security. We demand North Korea refrain from any other destabilizing or provocative actions, including any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology. Such actions must be met with a swift, united, and robust international response, including further significant measures to be taken by the UN Security Council (UNSC).
We reiterate our unwavering commitment to the goal of North Korea’s complete, verifiable, and irreversible abandonment of its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs in accordance with relevant UNSCRs. We urge North Korea to fully comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and IAEA safeguards, and to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). North Korea cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon State under the NPT. We call on North Korea to accept repeated offers of dialogue, including from Japan, the U.S., and the Republic of Korea.
It is critical that sanctions be fully and scrupulously implemented by all states and remain in place for as long as North Korea’s WMD and ballistic missile programs exist. We call for greater international coordination to counter North Korea’s malicious cyber activities.
We remain deeply concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis in North Korea, which is driven by North Korea’s choice to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of the people in North Korea. We deplore North Korea’s systematic human rights violations and urge North Korea to respect human rights, facilitate access for international humanitarian organizations, and resolve the abductions issue immediately.
5 Myanmar
We continue to strongly condemn the military coup in Myanmar, remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating security, humanitarian, human rights, and political situation, and express our solidarity with its people. We strongly condemn the April 11 airstrike by the Myanmar military in Kanbalu Township in Sagaing Region that killed a large number of civilians, including children. We call on the Myanmar military to immediately cease all violence, release all political prisoners and those arbitrarily detained, and return the country to a genuinely democratic path. We condemn further exclusion of forty Myanmar political parties, including the National League for Democracy, from the political process by the Myanmar military. The Myanmar military should create an environment for inclusive and peaceful dialogue, which includes all relevant stakeholders in the country. We also call for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all people, especially the most vulnerable. We continue to support ASEAN’s efforts to implement the Five-Point Consensus, including through the ASEAN Chair and ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar. We also reaffirm support for the UN Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) on Myanmar and welcome UNSCR 2669 on the situation in Myanmar, which calls for the immediate cessation of violence, the respect for human rights and fundamental freedom, and the protection of civilians. We reiterate our call on all states to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar. We stress the need to create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of all displaced persons, including Rohingya refugees.
6 Afghanistan
We note with grave concern increased threats to stability in Afghanistan and the deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation. We express our strongest opposition to the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms. In particular, we condemn the Taliban’s systematic abuses of human rights of women and girls and discrimination against the members of religious and ethnic minorities. All Afghans must enjoy full, equal, and meaningful participation in all spheres of public life, access to life saving humanitarian aid and basic services, including education, and freedom of movement and freedom of expression. These are prerequisites for peace, stability, and prosperity in Afghanistan. Unimpeded access of aid workers is essential for the effective delivery of assistance. We call for the immediate reversal of unacceptable decisions restricting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the latest bans prohibiting Afghan women from working for NGOs and the UN.
We remain concerned about the persistent lack of political inclusivity and representative governance. We urge the Taliban to take significant steps to engage in credible and inclusive national dialogue, in which all Afghans, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religious and political belief, can have a voice. We recognize the need for conveying unified messages to the Taliban in coordination with regional countries and other international partners. We underscore the Taliban’s responsibility to ensure respect for human rights and a dignified life of all Afghans, the country’s stability and recovery, as well as to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorism. We are united in condemning the recurring terrorist attacks, including those that target specific ethnic and religious groups. We support the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan to work towards achieving peace and stability.
7 Iran
We reiterate our clear determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon, and urge Iran to cease nuclear escalations. We call on Iran to fulfill its legal obligations and political commitments regarding nuclear non-proliferation without further delay. We remain deeply concerned about Iran’s unabated escalation of its nuclear program, which has no credible civilian justification and brings it dangerously close to actual weapon-related activities. We recall recent sampling by the IAEA which found particles of uranium highly enriched to 83.7 percent. A diplomatic solution remains our preferred way to resolve international concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program. In that context, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action continues to provide a useful reference. We take note of Iran’s stated readiness to provide the IAEA with further information and access to address the outstanding safeguards issues, and its agreement to allow the IAEA to implement further appropriate verification and monitoring activities. We call on Iran to uphold its safeguards obligations and stated commitments with prompt and concrete action.
We express our grave concern regarding Iran’s continued destabilizing activities, including the transfer of missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies to state and non-state actors and proxy groups in breach of UNSCRs including 2231 and 2216. Iran must stop supporting the Russian military in its war of aggression. In particular, we call upon Iran to cease transferring armed UAVs, which have been used in Ukraine. Indiscriminate attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure constitute war crimes. We reiterate our conviction that the transfer of ballistic missiles would represent a major escalation. We welcome initiatives to improve bilateral relations among countries and de-escalate tensions in the region, including Iran and Saudi Arabia’s recent agreement to restore ties. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of ensuring maritime security in the Middle East’s waterways, including through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandab, and call on Iran not to interfere with the lawful exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by all vessels.
We reiterate our profound concern over Iran’s systemic human rights violations and abuses, especially with Iran’s efforts to oppress peaceful dissent through threats and intimidation. We condemn the targeting of individuals, including women, girls, minority groups, as well as journalists, in and outside of Iran. We call on Iran to take concrete action to address these issues. We strongly reject Iran’s targeting of dual and foreign citizens, and call on Iran’s leadership to end all unjust and arbitrary detentions.
8 Cooperation for peace and stability in the Middle East and North Africa
De-escalation, stability, and regional prosperity are key priorities. We call on Israelis and Palestinians to take steps to build trust toward the realization of a two-state solution, which envisions Israel and a viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition. All parties must refrain from unilateral actions that undermine the prospects for a two-state solution, including settlement activities and incitement to violence. We strongly condemn all forms of violence against civilians, including terrorism. We reiterate our support for the historic status quo in Jerusalem and Jordan’s special role in this regard. We welcome the recent meetings in Aqaba, Jordan, and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, between Jordan, Egypt, the U.S., Israel, and the Palestinian Authority aimed at de-escalating tensions, and hope the commitments in the resulting Joint Communiques will be fulfilled in good faith. We will continue assisting the Palestinians to enhance their economic self-reliance. We call for the international community’s broad and sustained support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Regarding Yemen, we reiterate our support to the Special Envoy of the UNSG and call on all parties, especially the Houthis, to secure a durable ceasefire and work towards a comprehensive, durable, and inclusive Yemeni-led political process. We also call on the Houthis to lift any impediments to the delivery of humanitarian assistance, especially with regard to women and girls. We express our appreciation for the concerted efforts by the Government of Yemen and other countries in the region, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Sultanate of Oman. We call on all relevant parties and the international community to support the implementation of the UN-led plan to salvage the FSO Safer, including swiftly filling the remaining funding gap.
In order to achieve stability and promote unity in Libya, we support the SRSG’s proposal to identify a pathway towards reaching political consensus and holding free, fair, and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections by the end of 2023. We urge all actors to preserve stability on the ground and to commit to working constructively on the political process.
We encourage and support the Tunisian government to quickly implement its own economic reform program to address the country’s economic situation and reach an agreement with the IMF.
In Syria, we remain firmly committed to an inclusive, UN-facilitated political process consistent with UNSCR 2254. We underscore the need for the international community to continue supporting the UN Special Envoy. We reiterate that the international community can only consider reconstruction assistance after there is authentic and enduring progress towards political solution in line with UNSCR 2254. We condemn the ongoing atrocities against the Syrian people. We are firmly committed to accountability for those responsible for the use of chemical weapons and violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable. We continue to urge the Syrian regime to comply with its obligations under UNSCR 2118. We also confirm our continued commitment to supporting the Syrian people through all necessary means, including early recovery assistance as appropriate. We call for full and unhindered humanitarian access to all Syrians in need, particularly through UN cross-border aid for which there is no alternative in scope or scale.
We stand in solidarity with the peoples of Türkiye and Syria affected by the horrifying February earthquakes and plan to continue our support in tackling the consequences of this catastrophe. It is also vital that humanitarian aid reaches all those who require it, safely and unhindered, as efficiently as possible.
9 Working together with Central Asian countries
We affirm our intent to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Central Asian countries. We commit to working together with Central Asian countries to address regional challenges, including the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression, the destabilizing effect of the situation in Afghanistan, food and energy insecurity, terrorism, and the consequences of climate change. We are determined to foster sustainable connectivity, transportation, and trade and energy links to enhance regional prosperity. Furthermore, we remain committed to strengthening our cooperation with Central Asian countries on socio-economic development, women’s economic empowerment, human rights, gender equality, domestic and institutional reforms, and regional security. We welcome the intensification of regional cooperation of Central Asian countries in the abovementioned fields and remain committed to support such cooperation.
10 G7-Africa Partnership
We are deepening our partnerships with African countries and regional organizations, including the African Union (AU). We support African calls for stronger representation in international fora.
We reiterate our strong commitment to supporting governments in the region to tackle the underlying conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, violent extremism, and instability across Africa. We are seriously concerned about the growing presence of the Russia-affiliated Wagner Group forces on the continent, and their destabilizing impact and human rights abuses. We urge all actors to respect international human rights law and international humanitarian law and reiterate our call for accountability of all those responsible. We also call for safe, unimpeded access for humanitarian actors to reach those in need.
In the Sahel, we commend the efforts by the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali for helping protect the lives of civilians, in the context of political and security constraints on the mission. We take note of the UNSG’s strategic review and the parameters set to allow for the pursuit of the mission. We are also seriously concerned about the spread of terrorist threats and activities towards coastal countries in West Africa. Acknowledging the need to improve government responsiveness to citizens’ needs and the importance of free and fair elections, we call for comprehensive implementation of the transition charters in countries on the path to constitutional order.
There is an urgent need to reinforce peace and security in the Horn of Africa, meet serious humanitarian needs, and build resilience in the region. We welcome the positive developments stemming from the cessation of hostilities agreement between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, commend the AU for its mediation, and urge progress on transitional justice and accountability. We call on both parties to remain committed to fully implementing the agreement, including unhindered access for international human rights monitors. We also call for international support for the Somali President’s reform priorities and the fight against al-Shabaab.
We strongly condemn the ongoing fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan’s democratic transition. We urge the parties to end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions. We call on all actors to renounce violence, return to negotiations, and take active steps to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all civilians, including diplomatic and humanitarian personnel.
We reaffirm our commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We condemn the advance of the UN-sanctioned March 23 Movement (M23) armed group, exacerbating an extreme humanitarian situation. We urge M23 to end any further advances and to withdraw from all territories it controls. All armed groups must immediately cease all violent acts and disarm. We demand the immediate and full implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreed on March 3. We welcome regional stabilization efforts, including East African Community-led Nairobi process and heads of state dialogue mediated by Angola, and underscore the critical role of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC in protecting civilians and supporting the DRC government’s peace consolidation efforts.
11 Cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean Partners
We highlight the importance of enhancing cooperation with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to uphold shared interests as well as values. We are committed to working together to address economic challenges, natural disasters and climate change, strengthen the rule of law, enhance socio-economic resilience, promote trade and investments, and address global issues.
We are concerned about the economic, political, and humanitarian situation in Venezuela that is driving forced displacement, leading to the unprecedented migration flows in the region and overstretching the hosting countries’ capacities. We call for humanitarian access to address the urgent needs of those affected by the multilayered crisis. The way forward lies in Venezuelan-led negotiations leading to free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.
We reiterate our commitment to supporting, together with other actors of the international community, all efforts to strengthen public institutions and resolve the worsening security and humanitarian situation in Haiti. We condemn the violence and criminal activities perpetrated by armed gangs and those who support them, and we welcome UNSCR 2653 establishing a sanctions regime for Haiti. We support the role of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti and call on all stakeholders to overcome differences and achieve progress in the dialogues on the basis of the political accord of 2022, the “National Consensus for an Inclusive Transition and Transparent Elections”. We reiterate the importance of restoring stability in Haiti and establishing the conditions necessary to allow for free and fair elections, as well as facilitating the unhindered provision of humanitarian support to the Haitian people.
We note with concern the elevated humanitarian and security needs in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. These countries suffer from large-scale displacements, rising food prices, and insecurity challenges. We encourage existing and new efforts by donors, including private actors, to meet the urgent needs outlined in the respective 2023 UN Humanitarian Response Plans.
We follow very carefully the situation in Nicaragua, where human rights violations and abuses continue. We condemn the decision of Nicaragua to arbitrarily revoke the nationality of over 300 Nicaraguan citizens. We call on Nicaragua to end the widespread repression of civil society, private sector and political actors, release all political prisoners, respect its international obligations, and provide remedies for violations and abuses.
III. ADDRESSING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
12 Free and open international order
We are determined to strengthen the free and open international order based on the rule of law, respect for the UN Charter, the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all states, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Countries, large and small, benefit from these principles. We are determined to uphold and protect them, and we stand ready to work with all willing partners in this endeavor.
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