Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G-7) industrialized countries wrapped up their three-day meeting on Tuesday, calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from 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," G-7 top diplomats said in a communique released after their discussions in the central Japanese town of Karuizawa. While pledging to intensifying sanctions against Russia, they renewed commitment to supporting Ukraine and to providing sustained security, economic, and institutional support, according to the document. They also warned third parties to stop supplying weapons to Russia, or face "severe costs." The G-7 ministers reiterated their "clear determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon, and urge Iran to cease nuclear escalations" and urged Iran to fulfill its legal obligations and political commitments regarding nuclear non-proliferation without further delay, the document reads. Meanwhile, they welcomed initiatives to improve bilateral relations among countries and de-escalate tensions in the Middle Eastern region, including Iran and Saudi Arabia's recent agreement to restore ties. As for China, they expressed serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or intimidation. "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," the communique said. They also stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait "as an indispensable element in security and prosperity in the international community," and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. "There is no change in the basic positions of the G-7 members on Taiwan, including stated one China policies," they said. That statement, which goes further than typical language in recent communiques, comes after French President Emmanuel Macron sparked controversy among western allies earlier this month for telling reporters Europe must not become "just America's followers," including over the issue of Taiwan. Macron has since sought to downplay his comments, made during his recent state visit to China, saying on Wednesday that France was "for the status quo in Taiwan" and that his country's position "has not changed." Wen-Ti Sung, a political scientist at the Australian National University's Taiwan Studies Program, said that as far as Taiwan is concerned, the communique appeared to see the G7 "balancing two competing priorities." They "underscore the interdependence between peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and that of the broader international community," but also "reassure" Beijing they do not support Taiwan independence, he said. He pointed to the language referring to "one China policies" or agreements by which governments have established diplomatic relations with Beijing and not Taipei. "For the first time as the G-7, we were able to note in a statement our commitment to a rules-based, free and open international order and our strong opposition to any attempt unilateral attempts to change the status-quo anywhere in the world," Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who hosted the meeting, told a press conference after the gathering. "We hope to cooperate toward the Hiroshima Summit to address urgent issues facing the international community," said Hayashi. The G-7 consists of Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and the US. The bloc's top diplomats promised "severe consequences" for any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and pledged that those supporting the Kremlin's war effort there would face "severe costs." In particular, they pointed to Russia's threat to deploy nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. In their communique Tuesday, the bloc's foreign ministers stressed their interest in working together in the Indo-Pacific – a region now viewed by the US as a key theater for its competition with China. The statement also touched on a number of global issues, including condemning North Korea's weapons testing and nuclear programs, as well as the military coup in Myanmar and an deadly April 11 airstrike by the Myanmar military that left civilians, including children dead. The minister also urged fighting parties in the recent outbreak of violence in Sudan to "end hostilities immediately," and return to negotiations. — Agencies
