Mideast situation – G-8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting – Letter from Japan (excerpts)

Letter dated 18 July 2000 from the Permanent Representative of Japan

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the conclusions of the G-8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (see annex), which was adopted by the G-8 Foreign Ministers in Miyazaki, Japan, on 13 July 2000.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex distributed as a document of the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly, under items 14, 20 (c), 20 (d), 27, 30, 33, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 56, 60, 61 (a), 61 (b), 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68 (b), 71, 72, 74 (a), 74 (b), 74 (c), 74 (d), 74 (e), 74 (f), 74 (g), 74 (h), 74 (i), 74 (m), 74 (n), 74 (q), 74 (r), 74 (v), 80, 81, 82, 87, 97 (a), 97 (b), 97 (c), 97 (g), 107, 109, 110, 112, 155 and 166 of the provisional agenda, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Yukio Satoh

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations

Annex to the letter dated 18 July 2000 from the Permanent Representative

of Japan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Conclusions of the G8 Foreign Ministers' meeting

Miyazaki, 13 July 2000

1. We, the Foreign Ministers of the G8, met in Miyazaki on 12 and 13 July 2000.  We discussed the various challenges ahead and drew the following conclusions.

2. In this era of rapid globalization, we believe that an enduring commitment to peace and the fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and an open economy will remain indispensable.  We reaffirm our commitment to human security through the creation of an environment where the dignity, well-being, safety and human rights of all people are ensured.

3. This requires intensified cooperation between sovereign states, international and regional organizations and civil society.  It is imperative that the United Nations continue to play a pivotal role in the century to come.  We welcome the leadership of the UN Secretary-General in the preparation of the Millennium Summit.

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REGIONAL ISSUES

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Middle East Peace Process

32. In the Middle East, there is a real opportunity for the achievement of a comprehensive peace based on the UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the agreements of Madrid and Oslo.  We reaffirm our strong support for the efforts by the parties concerned to advance the peace process toward this end.  We reiterate the importance we attach to a continuing commitment to a peaceful resolution of disputes.

33. We welcome the recent withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Lebanon, in accordance with the UNSCR 425, as verified by the UN Secretary-General and confirmed by the UN Security Council.  It is the responsibility of the Government of Lebanon to ensure the return of its effective authority to maintain peace and security in southern Lebanon.  Being aware that attaining these goals will also depend on the government's ability to meet the infrastructure and development needs of this region, we are committed to supporting its efforts to this end.

34. In light of the trilateral summit Meeting on a peace between Israel and the Palestinians, we call upon both parties to accelerate the negotiations to reach a final status agreement by the target date of 13 September set forth by the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum.  We invite the international community to participate in the efforts to help the parties implement such an agreement when it is reached.

35. We underline the importance of resuming the activities of the multilateral working groups recognizing that progress in the multilateral tracks is related to and supports the bilateral tracks.

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