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We met in St.Petersburg for our annual Summit, 15-17 July 2006, to discuss collective approaches to pressing international issues. On July 17 we were joined for our discussion on priority themes of the Russian Presidency (global energy security, development of modern education systems and fight against infectious diseases) as well as globalization, international trade and Africa by the leaders of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa and by the heads of the African Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the International Energy Agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations, UNESCO, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization.
Global Energy Security
We discussed challenges to global energy security and set out our common goals and approaches aimed at ensuring sufficient, reliable and environmentally responsible supplies of energy at prices reflecting market fundamentals.
We agreed that dynamic and sustainable development of our civilization depends on reliable access to energy. It is best assured by strengthened partnership between energy producing and consuming countries, including enhanced dialogue on growing energy interdependence, security of supply and demand issues. We stressed that open, transparent, efficient and competitive energy markets are the cornerstone for our common energy security strategy. We also recognized that governments and relevant international organizations play an important role in this area.
We adopted the St.Petersburg Plan of Action to enhance global energy security through efforts to increase transparency, predictability and stability of the global energy markets, improve the investment climate in the energy sector, promote energy efficiency and energy saving, diversify energy mix, ensure physical safety of critical energy infrastructure, reduce energy poverty and address climate change and sustainable development.
In this Plan we undertook to reduce barriers to energy investment and trade, making it possible for companies from energy producing and consuming countries to invest in and acquire upstream and downstream assets internationally. We also stressed the need for better risks sharing between all stakeholders in the energy supply chain through economically sound diversification between different types of contracts, including market-based long-term and spot contracts, timely decision-making and appropriate adherence and enforcement of contractual agreements.
Energy saved is energy produced. Therefore, we have adopted a comprehensive approach to energy saving and energy efficiency.
Those of us who have or are considering plans related to the use of safe and secure nuclear energy underlined its important contribution to global energy security.
Meeting our multiple goals and objectives in the area of global energy security we will act to reduce energy poverty in developing countries.
We reaffirmed our commitments to meet the objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dealing with climate change, including through promoting an inclusive dialogue on further action in the future.
Education for Innovative Societies in the 21st Century
We adopted a statement on the need to promote modern effective education systems to meet the challenges of a global knowledge-based economy. We agreed that economic and social prosperity in the 21st century increasingly depends on the ability of nations to educate all members of their societies to be prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
We believe that education, enhancement of skills and generation of new ideas are essential to the development of human capital and are key drivers of market productivity, and sources of cohesion for all nations. As science, technology, and economic progress become more global, international collaboration is indispensable to generate the talent and knowledge needed to find solutions to fundamental global challenges.
We resolved to encourage investment in the «knowledge triangle» - education, including lifelong learning, research and innovation. We shall promote cooperation with the private sector to foster diverse, efficient, sustainable higher education institutions.
We shall facilitate wider use of information and communication technologies, enhance standards in mathematics, science, technology and foreign languages, and support the engagement of highly qualified teachers in these critical areas.
We underlined the need to increase exchanges in science and technology and other areas of education at all levels and promote better understanding, recognition and transparency of foreign qualifications and educational outcomes. In this connection Russia proposed the establishment of an expert group to develop criteria and procedures for evaluating educational outcomes and qualifications. The group could include representatives of state organizations, business and civil society.
We agreed to cooperate with our development partners and other stakeholders to achieve high quality basic education, literacy and gender equality in accord with the education-related Millennium Development Goals and the objectives of Education for All programme.
We resolved to facilitate social and economic integration of immigrants into host countries and societies, with education being one of the effective means of doing so.
Fight Against Infectious Diseases
We are aware of the heavy toll taken by infectious diseases on societies and economies around the world. In our statement we underlined principles and proposed actions to halt the spread of epidemics. We addressed a range of challenges including limited access to prevention and treatment, inadequate capacity of health care systems, resource constraints and the shortage and significant outflow of qualified health workers, especially in developing countries.
We will seek to enhance international capacities to monitor and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases through establishment of new laboratories and strengthening WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.
Aware of the threat posed by avian influenza, we will cooperate closely with each other and with relevant international organizations and other partners in preparing for a possible human influenza pandemic. We called on donors to honor commitments made at the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza. The G8 members also welcomed the Russian Presidency's proposal to establish the WHO Collaborating Centre on Influenza for Eurasia and Central Asia to enhance international capacity to counter the spread of the viruses.
We reaffirmed our commitments to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and agreed to work further with other donors to mobilize resources for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and to continuing to pursue as closely as possible to universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment for those who need it by 2010. We also resolved to support the Global Plan to Stop TB aimed to save up to 14 millions lives by 2015 and to provide resources in cooperation with African countries to scale up action against malaria. With the aim to monitor the progress in tackling these three major pandemics, we agreed to a regular review of our work in this field.
We will also continue to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative so that the planet can be declared polio-free within the next few years.
We called for improved scientific research and exchanges between states, involving scientists from developing countries. G8 members also agreed to further develop the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise and welcomed the Russian Presidency initiative to involve Eastern European and Central Asian countries in its activities through the establishment of the corresponding regional coordination mechanism.
Improved access to prevention and treatment of infectious diseases is crucial in our battle against epidemics. We will further work through assistance programs focused on strengthening health care systems in developing countries. We will also promote research and development of new drugs and vaccines, through building public-private partnerships. We took note of the steps taken on voluntary innovating financing mechanisms and other funding initiatives.
We also decided to improve the effectiveness of international response to emergencies and of action to mitigate health consequences of natural and man-made disasters, including through effective use of rapid response teams.
Other Issues
Having discussed the state of the world economy, we concluded that global growth remains strong and has become more broadly based. We also discussed high and volatile energy prices, global imbalances and growing protectionism. We re-iterated our commitment to address global imbalances, working together to remove distortions to the global adjustment process, promote liberalization of trade and investment, and modernize the international financial institutions.
We adopted a separate statement on trade where we urged all the parties to commit to the concerted leadership and action needed to reach a successful conclusion of the Doha Round by the end of 2006. We welcomed the decision to ask the WTO Director General to consult Members intensively in order to promote early agreement and called upon him to report to the WTO Membership as soon as possible with the aim of facilitating agreement on negotiating modalities on agriculture and industrial tariffs within a month. We instructed our negotiators to work constructively to achieve this. We reaffirmed our commitments to the development dimension of the Doha Round and the need to improve the participation of developing countries, including through increased south-south trade and enhanced regional integration. We also underscored the importance of Aid for Trade and Trade Capacity Building.
We reiterated our commitment to intensifying our individual and collective efforts to combat piracy and counterfeiting and issued a statement outlining concrete measures to reduce intellectual property rights piracy and trade in counterfeit goods.
We once again emphasized the serious danger posed by corruption in public administration, including among senior officials, to our common agenda for global security, free trade, economic prosperity and rule of law. Reaffirming the commitments to fighting corruption and increasing transparency of public funds management made at Evian, Sea Island and Gleneagles, we adopted an Action Plan comprising further measures to counter this scourge.
We exchanged views on a number of issues related to the creation of necessary conditions for overcoming poverty, ensuring sustainable economic and social development in Africa and successfully addressing the other serious challenges it faces, including the consolidation of regional peace and stability as the most important prerequisite for a more prosperous future of the continent. We adopted an update statement on Africa where we reviewed progress on G8 commitments on Africa since the last Summit in Gleneagles, while respecting the critical role of African ownership of the reform process. We emphasized the importance of continuation of work in partnership with Africa aimed at settling conflicts and developing African anti-crisis capabilities, ensuring good and responsive governance, investing in people, fostering growth, providing financing for development, and promoting mutual ownership and accountability.
International security
We recognized that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, along with international terrorism, remains the central threat to international peace and security. Therefore, the international community must firmly respond to that challenge and take resolute actions to curb that threat. We reaffirmed our determination and commitment to act in concert and together with other States and organizations to fight WMD proliferation, including with a view to preventing WMD falling into the hands of terrorists.
We adopted a special statement on non-proliferation.
We recognize States' rights under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to access to the benefits of nuclear energy. We discussed the concrete proposals contained in the Initiative of the President of the Russian Federation on multinational centres to provide nuclear fuel cycle services and the Initiative of the President of the United States on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership as well as the recent initiative tabled at the IAEA by France, Germany, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States regarding a concept for a multilateral mechanism for reliable access to enrichment services for nuclear fuel. We agreed to continue to discuss these issues jointly with the IAEA with a view to ensuring that all States that conscientiously fulfill their non-proliferation obligations have guaranteed access to the benefits of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
We addressed the proliferation implications of Iran's advanced nuclear programme and confirmed our commitment to see those implications resolved. We fully supported the proposals presented to Iran in June 2006 on behalf of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America with the support of the High Representative of the European Union for a long-term comprehensive agreement with Iran based on cooperation and mutual respect. Iran not having shown willingness to engage in serious discussion of those proposals and having failed to take the steps needed to allow negotiations to begin, specifically the suspension of all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, as required by the IAEA and supported in the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement, we supported the decision of those countries' Ministers to return the issue of Iran to the United Nations Security Council. Iran has a serious choice to make and we invited it to make the right decision - to react positively to the concrete proposals presented to it on 6 June 2006.
We addressed nuclear and other security concerns as well as humanitarian issues regarding the DPRK. We expressed support for UN Security Council resolution 1695 of 15 July 2006, which condemns the launches by the DPRK of ballistic missiles on 5 July 2006. We urge the DPRK to reestablish its preexisting commitment to a moratorium on missile launching. These missile launches intensify our deep concern over the DPRK's nuclear weapons programs and we strongly urge the DPRK to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. We strongly support the Six Party talks, and urge the DPRK to promptly return to them without precondition and to cooperate in implementing the Joint Statement of September 2005 in good faith. We also urge the DPRK to respond to other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community, including early resolution of the abduction issue.
We support the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, announced by Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George Bush on 15 July. We looked forward to working together with other like-minded nations and the IAEA to expand and accelerate efforts that develop partnership capacity to combat nuclear terrorism on a determined and systematic basis. We trust that, through their participation in this new Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, all countries that share our common goals of suppressing and mitigating the consequences of acts of nuclear terrorism will - on a voluntary basis and on the basis of independent responsibility of each country for the steps taken within its jurisdiction - reinforce joint efforts to increase international cooperation, in accordance with international law and national legislation, in combating this threat.
We adopted the G8 Declaration on Counter-Terrorism with the annexed G8 Statement on Strengthening the UN Counter-Terrorist Program. These documents define concrete areas of further joint work to fight terrorism and to strengthen the UN role in that regard.
Together with the invited leaders and heads of international organizations we adopted a separate statement on condemning barbaric terrorist acts carried out on 11 July 2006 in Mumbai and other parts of India.
We welcomed the outcome of the International Ministerial Conference on Drug Trafficking Routes from Afghanistan held 26 to 28 June 2006 in Moscow and the initiative to convene, later this year, a Forum on cooperation between States and the business community in fighting terrorism.
We discussed the issues of interaction in the field of postconflict stabilization and reconstruction. We stressed that the United Nations, its Security Council and the recently established Peacebuilding Commission should play a central role in international peacekeeping, stabilization and reconstruction operations. We adopted a separate declaration on this matter. Discussion on a range of concrete measures for strengthening cooperation in the sphere of postconflict stabilization and reconstruction will continue during the Russian Presidency.
We categorically denounced the illicit trade of arms in violation of United Nations Security Council arms embargoes. Such illicit trade is primarily conducted through air channels. We agreed to enhance cooperation among ourselves and with other States in this area. We called upon the competent international and the interested regional organizations to take into consideration such illicit transport by air of weapons and munitions in order to recommend, in coordination with the air transport industry, measures that will help to fight and prevent violations of UNSC arms embargoes.
We adopted a separate statement on the Middle East in connection with the upsurge in violence in the region. The ideas and proposals put forward in the statement are our contribution to the efforts underway to put an end to the present crisis and contribute to a lasting peace there. In Lebanon and Gaza the most urgent priority is for a cessation of violence and not to allow extremist elements to plunge the region into chaos and provoke a wider conflict. There must be an end to the suffering innocent people and priority must be given to political and diplomatic methods towards a settlement, with a central role for the UN. We expressed support for the UN Secretary-General's mission to the region and look forward to its report to the Security Council, which could serve as a basis for the attainment of our common goals.
As regards Kosovo, we support the efforts by Martti Ahtisaari, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General. The Contact Group will remain actively involved in the status process, building its activities on UN Security Council resolution 1244 and the Contact Group's Guiding Principles. We called upon all the parties to engage constructively in the Final Status process and to make every effort to find a compromise solution with a view to preserving a multiethnic Kosovo. The Kosovo-Albanian leadership should focus on the implementation of the standards for national minorities established by the international community. We note that the UN Security Council remains seized of the matter.
We discussed the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan/Darfur, among other regions, and we fully approved the results of the meeting of the G8 Foreign Ministers held in Moscow on 29 June 2006 as well as the recommendations and approaches set out in the Chairman's Statement of the Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
During the Summit, the issue of the situation concerning Nagorno-Karabakh was raised. We reaffirmed that the G8 supports the mediation efforts by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (France, Russia, United States) and stressed the need for an early agreement on basic principles of a peaceful settlement of the conflict be reached in 2006. We call on Azerbaijan and Armenia to show political will to reach an agreement and prepare their peoples for peace and not for war.
We welcome the offer of the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany to host our next Summit in 2007.
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