We met in Roma on 18-19 July 2001 in order to examine the present state and the developments of the international political agenda.
We had a broad and informal exchange of views on how to enhance the dialogue between G8 and civil societies, taking into account both risks and opportunities of the present process of interdependence and globalisation. We will continue to work closely, together and with others, on this topical aspect.
We have examined the developments of the most significant political issues facing the international community, on the global as well as on the regional level. On Middle East, FYROM, Africa and the Korean Peninsula, we have agreed to submit our language directly to the G8 Heads of State and Government for their Summit in Genova on 20-22 July.
We have also reached the following Conclusions:
GLOBAL CHALLENGES FOR PEACE AND SECURITY
Conflict prevention
We consider our commitment to conflict prevention to be an indispensable element in our international actions and initiatives. While the main responsibility for avoiding conflict lies with those directly involved, we will continue to work for effective action by the international community, primarily the United Nations, to prevent conflict. We register, and we will continue to support, progress in the five areas we identified in Miyazaki, in particular for the item of conflict and development, in the framework of which aspects such as disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration and co-operation on water management will receive our special attention. We have also decided to focus on two new initiatives: the contribution of women in the prevention of violent conflict and the role of the private sector. The relevant items are detailed in the attached documents.
Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control
With a view to maintaining and strengthening strategic stability and international security in the face of the challenges of the 21st century, we place great importance on the existing regimes of multilateral treaties and export control arrangements designed to cope with the threats that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery can pose. In this context we welcome efforts to strengthen international arms control and non-proliferation regime and reaffirm our determination to promote compliance with and the universality of the fundamental treaties related to weapons of mass destruction and to contribute to the implementation of the conclusions of the 2000 NPT Review Conference. We welcome the readiness of Russia and the US to continue deep reductions in their strategic offensive arsenals and to strengthen strategic stability.
We welcome efforts to agree on measures, including potential enforcement and compliance measures to strengthen the BTWC. We remain fully committed to pursue efforts to ensure that the BTWC is an effective instrument to counter the growing threat of biological weapons. We welcome efforts by members of the MTCR to produce an international code of conduct against missile proliferation and to promote its universalisation. So long as the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has not entered into force, we urge all states to maintain global existing moratoria on nuclear testing. We reaffirm our commitment to an immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty with a view to their conclusion within five years. We call on all States who have not already done so to conclude appropriate safeguards agreements and Additional Protocols with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
We continue to attach the utmost importance to ensuring that weapon-grade plutonium no longer required for defence purposes is never used for nuclear weapons. We invite all donors intending to contribute substantially to the Russian Federation disposition program to join in completing an international financing plan and in initiating negotiations on a multilateral framework for the programme. We will also support the efforts of the Russian Federation to destroy its chemical weapons in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.
As part of the international community's efforts to raise humanitarian standards concerning conventional weapons, including explosive remnants of war, we will work for a successful outcome to this year's Review Conference for the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCWC). We also remain concerned by the scourge of the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines which have caused harm to so many innocent civilians throughout the world and by the continued existence of vast stockpiles of landmines. We are determined to support efforts, including those under the Ottawa Convention, as well as the amended Mines Protocol of the CCWC, in the areas of mine clearance, humanitarian demining, victim assistance and in the development of technologies for mine action. Continued commitment of resources from donors will have a decisive impact on this humanitarian crisis. We commit ourselves to work actively towards achieving the goal of a practical programme at the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Terrorism
We renew our condemnation of all forms of terrorism, regardless of the motives, and we stress the need for enhanced international co-operation in the development of preventive and enforcement strategies. We recall and endorse the commitment expressed this year in Milan by the G8 Justice and Interior Ministers. We urge our experts to make further progress in strengthening co-operation on traditional and new terrorist threats, including High-Tech ones.
We underline the importance of the widest possible application of UN sectoral counter-terrorism conventions, including on the suppression of the financing of terrorism, and we reaffirm our political support for the negotiation of a comprehensive UN Convention against international terrorism. We also stress the importance of completing the elaboration of the international convention against nuclear terrorism and encourage its subsequent adoption.
United Nations
Restating the importance of the conclusions of last year's Millennium Summit and Assembly, we reaffirm our commitment to reform, strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the UN system, including reform of the Security Council. We encourage the UN to further strengthen partnership, co-operation and consultation with other actors notably in the area of humanitarian and development assistance.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention on refugees, the G8 reaffirms its commitment to its provisions as well as the 1967 Protocol, and pays tribute to HCR for its action in favour of refugees.
REGIONAL CRISES
Balkans / South-Eastern Europe
The situation in the Balkans continues to warrant our close attention. We welcome the progress which has taken place since we met in Miyazaki, particularly in the FRY. We will continue to support reform and enhanced regional co-operation. We expect to see full compliance with international obligations including the Dayton accords and ICTY. In this respect we welcome the steps taken by the FRY and other countries in the region. Slobodan Milosevic and other indicted war criminals are now facing trial in the Hague. We condemn all forms of ethnic nationalist and separatist violence. We support a democratic Montenegro within a democratic Yugoslavia and encourage dialogue between Belgrade and Podgorica. In Kosovo we expect the full implementation of UNSCR 1244 and Kosovo-wide elections in November conducted in a secure environment, followed by the establishment of a democratic provisional government. We encourage all ethnic communities to participate fully in the process.
We remain convinced that enhanced regional co-operation represents a fundamental opportunity for development and prosperity. We call on each country of the region to demonstrate its commitment to make concrete progress in this field. The EU Stabilisation and Association Process is an important factor in this regard. We welcome the assistance and initiatives by G8 members and other states concerned, as well as regional and international organisations. We reaffirm our full support for the Stability Pact and will work closely together to make the Regional Conference in Bucharest on 25-26 October a success. The respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity constitutes a solid base for long term stability and security in the region.
Cyprus
We recall the Okinawa statement and renew our commitment to support the efforts of the UNSG to find a just and lasting settlement that protects the fundamental interests of all parties in an undivided Cyprus giving full consideration to relevant UNSCRs. We look forward to renewed efforts by all parties and a prompt resumption of talks under the good offices of the UNSG.
Iraq
We call on Iraq to comply fully with the relevant UNSCRs, including the entry of UN and IAEA inspectors with the mandate of verifying the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. The resumption of co-operation with the UN is a necessary step to the suspension and eventual lifting of the sanctions and will allow for a reintegration of Iraq into the international community. To this end, we welcome the dialogue between the UN Secretary General and the Government of Iraq. We underline the responsibility of each member of the international community, in accordance with relevant UNSCRs to ensure that Iraq does not constitute again a threat to regional peace and stability. The territorial integrity and the sovereignty of every country in the region must be safeguarded in order to promote security and stability in the Gulf. We stress our continued concern about the humanitarian situation in Iraq, which calls for more ambitious measures to alleviate the suffering of the people, and we call on the Iraqi government to fully implement the oil for food programme. Underlining UNSCRs 1352 and 1360, we call on the international community and the UN Security Council to build a new approach to Iraq.
Afghanistan
Recalling the need for the full implementation of UNSCRs 1267 and 1333, we reiterate our concern over the growing terrorist threat and urge the Taliban to fulfil the demands contained in those resolutions and in particular to close terrorist training camps. We call upon those having influence, including financial, on the Taliban to act responsibly. We commend and support the ban on poppy production, even though concerns remain over opium stocks and drug trafficking. We condemn the continuing violations of human rights in Afghanistan, including the worsening of conditions for women and religious minorities. We denounce the destruction by the Taliban of invaluable statues in Bamiyan. We affirm our commitment to effective assistance to relieve the disastrous humanitarian situation of the Afghan people and to effective co-operation of donor countries and implementing agencies in the framework of the Afghanistan Support Group (ASG). We support the efforts of the UN and others to advance a peace process through political negotiations between the Afghan parties or through mechanisms such as a Loya Jirga, aimed at the establishment of a broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative government.
South Asia
We welcome the Agra Summit between India and Pakistan and strongly support their intention to continue high level dialogue in order to make progress on their relationship. We encourage both countries to continue their policy of restraint and call on them to refrain from any action which could adversely affect their relations and regional stability. We reiterate the importance of UNSCR 1172 and urge India and Pakistan to participate fully in international efforts to strengthen the non-proliferation and disarmament regime. We take note of their commitment to the nuclear test moratorium.
Indonesia
We reaffirm our support for a democratic, stable and united Indonesia, key factor for the stability and the economic development of South East Asia, while stressing the vital importance for Indonesia to overcome the current political tension by democratic and peaceful means and in accordance with its constitution. We encourage the Indonesian government to take forward its efforts of economic and governance reforms, and reiterate the international community's readiness to assist these endeavours. We call on the Indonesian government to increase the level of genuine dialogue among all parties, with full respect of human rights. We reiterate our support for Indonesia's territorial integrity.
East Timor
We welcome progress made by the East Timorese and the UNTAET towards independence and democracy for East Timor. We emphasise in this context the importance of fair and smooth implementation of the Constituent Assembly elections scheduled for the 30th August. Recognising the enormous challenges faced by East Timor we reaffirm our support for the efforts by people of East Timor to build a sustainable nation.
Colombia
We fully support an irreversible peace process in Colombia. We urge all parties to negotiate an end to the conflict and to respect human rights. All illegal armed groups must release their hostages. The Government of Colombia should continue its efforts to combat the activities of paramilitary groups and to take concrete action to dismantle them. We invite the international community, together with regional governments to promote initiatives to fight poverty and foster sustainable development in the Andean region, where appropriate in the framework of the support group for the peace process in Colombia, in order to combat illicit drug production and drug trafficking.
Africa
We welcome and support the consolidation of democracy, pluralism and electoral fairness in an increasing number of African Countries. We call for similar progress towards political openness elsewhere in Africa where democratic principles and the rule of law are undermined.
Horn of Africa. We welcome and support the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea on the basis of the Algiers Agreement and of the relevant UNSCRs as a positive example of the management of African crises by African countries with the support of the international community. We urge the parties to fulfil all their commitments, to co-operate fully with the United Nations and to move towards lasting reconciliation and regional co-operation. We consider that the end of the civil war in Sudan and the establishment of peace and national unity in Somalia are the next essential steps for stabilisation and development in the Horn of Africa as a whole.
DRC and Burundi. We welcome the positive steps towards the implementation of the Lusaka and Arusha agreements and all relevant UNSCRs for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Burundi. We urge all signatories and concerned parties to co-operate fully with the United Nations and with all those engaged in the peace process and in particular to facilitate the deployment of UN peacekeepers, support the national dialogue, and undertake the process of disarming, demobilising, resettling, reintegrating combatants and of complete withdrawal of foreign troops from DRC. We call on the international community to continue to support humanitarian relief activities.
Mano River Region. We welcome progress towards implementation of the Abuja agreement in Sierra Leone. We call on the international community to support the consolidation of the peace process and the reconstruction programme in that country. We call on all parties to co-operate fully with the United Nations and to observe the relevant UNSCRs.
Southern Africa We support continuing efforts, both by the UN and by the Angolan government, to find a peaceful solution to the conflict there. We urge rapid resolution of the continuing conflict in Angola along the lines of the Lusaka Protocol. We consider that a sustainable solution to Zimbabwe's problems is essential to stability in Southern Africa.
