N Korea, Iran issues in focus at G8
G-8 members will meet in Kyoto today amidst increased concerns over the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran.
By Agencies |
KYOTO: Efforts to stop North Korea and Iran from developing nuclear weapons, along with the global response to climate change, were expected to dominate a two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the world's top industrialized nations.
The meeting, set to begin later on Thursday with a series of bilateral meetings and a state dinner, will lay the groundwork for the annual Group of Eight summit on the northern Japan island of Hokkaido next month.
The foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, were planning to discuss at length North Korea's nuclear program in their main gathering, scheduled for Friday morning.
Iran also was on the agenda. ���Japan would like to see the G-8 foreign ministers intensify their efforts in non-proliferation,'' Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said.
Other issues the Japanese hosts are planning to discuss are border security in Afghanistan and a joint condemnation of Zimbabwe holding its presidential runoff election despite widespread violence.
The meeting comes as North Korea has said it will declare all its nuclear programmes to China on Thursday and destroy the cooling tower at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, reportedly on Friday.
North Korea's failure to turn over its report on nuclear programs at the end of last year has stalled talks on granting aid to the impoverished nation in return for its denuclearization.
But the United States has said North Korea is now ready, and in exchange has offered to remove the country from a list of states that sponsor terrorism.
The meeting, set to begin later on Thursday with a series of bilateral meetings and a state dinner, will lay the groundwork for the annual Group of Eight summit on the northern Japan island of Hokkaido next month.
The foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, were planning to discuss at length North Korea's nuclear program in their main gathering, scheduled for Friday morning.
Iran also was on the agenda. ���Japan would like to see the G-8 foreign ministers intensify their efforts in non-proliferation,'' Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said.
Other issues the Japanese hosts are planning to discuss are border security in Afghanistan and a joint condemnation of Zimbabwe holding its presidential runoff election despite widespread violence.
The meeting comes as North Korea has said it will declare all its nuclear programmes to China on Thursday and destroy the cooling tower at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, reportedly on Friday.
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North Korea's failure to turn over its report on nuclear programs at the end of last year has stalled talks on granting aid to the impoverished nation in return for its denuclearization.
But the United States has said North Korea is now ready, and in exchange has offered to remove the country from a list of states that sponsor terrorism.
Though seen as a major breakthrough, the possibility of the U.S. delisting North Korea has been met with caution by Japan, which wants to keep international pressure focused on North Korea until it has also resolved questions over the abductions of more than a dozen Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s.
The G-8 members are the United States, Russia, Germany, France, Japan, Britain, Italy and Canada.
Iran's nuclear ambitions also were expected to be a major point, officials said, and could also be a point of contention.
The European Union froze the assets this week of Iran's largest bank over Tehran's refusal to back off uranium enrichment, which Washington and its allies worry could be used to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran has yet to formally respond to a package of trade and economic incentives to make a deal. The offers were made June 14 by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany.
But while the U.S. has not ruled out military intervention to stop Tehran from making a bomb, Russia is opposed to the use of force.
���The key to resolving the Iranian issue is involvement,'' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week ���We must involve Iran, engage Iran in resolving the Iranian nuclear program, but also engage Iran in constructive, respectful, serious dialogue on Iraq and Afghanistan, on the Middle East in general.''
On other issues, Japan has been eager to promote discussion of Afghanistan, where it has pledged US$2 billion in aid and is floating ideas for additional assistance, such as vehicles for law enforcement.
���Reconstruction of Afghanistan is crucial in our fight against terrorism,'' Komura said.
Fighting between Taliban-led insurgents and foreign and government forces has been surging across the south and east of the country, with nearly 2,000 people killed in insurgency-related violence so far in 2008.
The G-8 members are the United States, Russia, Germany, France, Japan, Britain, Italy and Canada.
Iran's nuclear ambitions also were expected to be a major point, officials said, and could also be a point of contention.
The European Union froze the assets this week of Iran's largest bank over Tehran's refusal to back off uranium enrichment, which Washington and its allies worry could be used to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran has yet to formally respond to a package of trade and economic incentives to make a deal. The offers were made June 14 by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany.
But while the U.S. has not ruled out military intervention to stop Tehran from making a bomb, Russia is opposed to the use of force.
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���The key to resolving the Iranian issue is involvement,'' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week ���We must involve Iran, engage Iran in resolving the Iranian nuclear program, but also engage Iran in constructive, respectful, serious dialogue on Iraq and Afghanistan, on the Middle East in general.''
On other issues, Japan has been eager to promote discussion of Afghanistan, where it has pledged US$2 billion in aid and is floating ideas for additional assistance, such as vehicles for law enforcement.
���Reconstruction of Afghanistan is crucial in our fight against terrorism,'' Komura said.
Fighting between Taliban-led insurgents and foreign and government forces has been surging across the south and east of the country, with nearly 2,000 people killed in insurgency-related violence so far in 2008.
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