Thursday, June 10, 2004

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A Japan-Germany summit meeting was held prior to the plenary meeting on the third day of the G8 Summit. At the meeting, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Mr. Gerhard Schroeder, the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, agreed for the two countries to cooperate to promote the United Nations (UN) Security Council Reform. Further, the two leaders shared the understanding on the importance to promote reconstruction assistance to Iraq under international coordination. Chancellor Schroeder also conveyed his wish to visit Japan at an early date, to which Prime Minister Koizumi extended a welcome. In the morning session of the Summit, the issue of development was discussed followed by a wrap-up meeting and the leaders adopted a number of documents, including the "G8 Statement: Fighting Corruption and Improving Transparency" towards prevention of corruption in developing countries receiving economic assistance. The Sea Island Summit was closed in the afternoon with the announcement of the Chair's Summary by Mr. George W. Bush, the President of the United States of America, reflecting back on the discussions over the three days. The Chair's Summary touched upon the issue of North Korea, stating the support by the leaders for the Six-Party Talks as well as for the efforts by all concerned parties to achieve a comprehensive solution by diplomatic means to North Korea's nuclear issue and to other security and humanitarian issues, such as the abductions. The Summary also welcomed the unanimous approval of the new resolution by the UN Security Council for the transfer of sovereignty to Iraq and indicated that leaders would stand together united in their support for the Iraqi Interim Government, provide support to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict and reinforce the global nonproliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). On the same night, Prime Minister Koizumi held a press conference, in which he commented on the new resolution of the UN Security Council concerning the transfer of sovereignty to Iraq that, "There will be a multinational force, and within that force we would like consider how best the SDF can contribute in the humanitarian and reconstruction support area," and continued on with the issue of North Korea saying, "North Korea has agreed for a reinvestigation on the abduction issue upon my latest visit to North Korea. Japan will continue to work on the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues in a comprehensive manner so we will ultimately arrive at the normalization of relations." Prime Minister Koizumi left for Japan in the morning of June 11.

Link:

G8 Summit Meeting (The Sea Island Summit)