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Subject: IMPORTANT NEWS - G 8 Forei



Subject: Subject: IMPORTANT NEWS - G 8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting


Relayed by:
Shan Herald Agency for News /European Union Branch (SHAN -EU)

G 8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Cologne, "Guerzenich", 10 June 1999

Conclusions

1. On the eve of a new millennium, characterized by globalization, and
aware of unprecedented opportunities but also continuing challenges to
peace, stability and prosperity, we discussed a number of issues of
common
G 8 and global concem.  We drew the following conclusions:

2. Trying to identify the major challenges which face us at the end of
the
20th century, we observed that
¦ the main goal of the peoples of the United Nations to save succeeding
generations from the scourge of war is not yet achieved;

¦ international stability has been undermined by regional, ethnic and
intra-state conflicts; the disintegration and fragmentation of sovereign
states constitutes a serious danger to international peace and security;

¦ democracy has made significant progress around the world, but by no
means all people have the opportunity to live in democratic societies,
and
in some areas the pace of democratic reform has slowed;

¦ human rights enjoy greater recognition, but by no means everywhere in
the world can people invoke them as guaranteed rights;

¦ not all persons, especially those caught up in armed conflict, enjoy
the
right to protection enshrined in the UN Charter;

¦ the increased availability of weapons, from small arms to weapons of
mass destruction and their delivery systems, runs counter to
international
efforts to reduce and control those weapons, for the purpose of
enhancing
international security and stability;

¦ Terrorism, orgalüsed crime and drug trafficking continue to endanger
our
democracies and international stability, despite our efforts and
international cooperation;

¦ the integration of markets and the unprecedented mobility of people,
information, goods and capital, have generated economic growth, improved
living standards, shared ideas, values and cultural understanding and
placed a premium on investing in people and social infrastructure, but
globalization has also brought new risks and inherent vulnerabilities in
both developed and developing countries;

¦ international financial crises can undermine social cohesion and
challenge us to secure and enhance the social benefits of globalization;

0 sustainable development is rapidly taking hold, with unprecedented
reductions in poverty and improvements in environinental protection, but
many people continue to live in poverty and serious environmental
degradation persists;

3. Human security
The effective protection of people, both individually and collectively,
remains central to our agenda.  The G 8 is determined to fight the
underlying causes of the multiple threats to human security, and is
committed to creating an envirorunent where the basic rights, the safety
and the very survival of all individuals are guaranteed.  We emphasized
that crucial comerstones of human security remain democracy, human
rights,
rule of law, good govemance and human development.

We regarded the spread of small arrns, the danger posed by landmines,
international ter-rorism and transnational crime, drugs and infectious
diseases" poverty, economic distress and oppression to be ainong the
most
serious threats to mankind.  As effektive action against these threats,
the
G 8 agrees to support;

¦ the protection of civilians and the safeguarding of the rights of
children in artned conflicts,

¦ combating illicit small arms proliferation,

¦ control of conventional arms transfer
implementation of the Ottawa Convention on landmines


¦ combating organised crime, drug trafficking and terrorism, including
by
advancing the conventions for the suppression of terrorism financing and
combating acts of nuclear terrorism.

4. Conflict prevention
Central to our vision for improved conflict prevention and management is
a
reformed, effective and efficient United Nations.  Full respect for the
provisions of the UN Charter and the principles and norms of
international
law is fundamental.  Strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule
of
law is also of crucial importance.

On the eve of the new millennium, we will meet in Berlin in December
1999
on the initiative of the German Presidency to discuss conflict
prevention
and conflict resolution.


5. Non-proliferation and disarmament
We remain committed to further enhancing the process of disarmainent and
strengthening the international non-proliferation regime and to ensure
effective export control mechalüsms.  We continue to follow the
deteriorating situation in South Asia closely, including the effects of
the
Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests.  Recalling the provisions of UNSC
resolution 1 1 72, we call upon India and Pakistan to implement the CBMs
on
which they have embarked and, as a matter of priority, to follow through
on
their declared intention to adhere to the CTBT and the remaining
provisions.

In the field of disarmament and non-proliferation Kooperation, we
welcome
all the initiatives currently being planned and undertaken by G 8
countries
and others, including an adequately financed expanded threat reduction
progranune.

We recognise the need for the safe and effective management of
weapons-grade nuclear material designated as no longer required for
defence
purposes including plutonium Disposition, remain conunitted to continue
our
work on this issue and strongly support the concrete initiatives
undertaken

to that end.  We confirm the commiftnent of our countries to work for an
early start to negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty.

We remain determined to ensure the early and successful conclusion to
the
negotiations on a legally-binding Protocol to strengthen the Biological
and
Toxin Weapons Convention and press for universal adherence to and
implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.


6. Regional issues
On May 6, 1999 we convened on the Petersberg, Bonn, and agreed on
General
principles we deemed indispensable for ending violence and repression in
Kosovo and enabling the safe and free retum to Kosovo of all refugees
and
displaced persons.  Based on these principles, Martti Ahtisaari,
President
of Finland, acting on behalf of the European Union, and Viktor
Chemomyrdin,
Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation,
presented to President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade on June 2, 1999, a
peace plan which was accepted by the Govemment of the Federal Republic
of
Yugoslavia and the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.  The momentum
created hereby allowed us at our meeting in Cologne, "Gürzenich", on
June
8, 1999 to succeed in preparing a United Nations Security Council
resolution which will provide the basis for a fair and viable political
solution.

We welcome the Military Technical Agreement of 9 June 1999 and look
forward to an early ceasefire and the beginning of a verified withdrawal
of
Serb forces from Kosovo.  This will allow the suspension of military
action, the immediate adoption of the United Nations Secu-
rity Council Resolution, and the rapid introduction into Kosovo of
international civil and security presences.  This is bringing to
fruition
the intensive efforts of the last weeks and days to end violence and to
restore peace in Kosovo.  We call upon the parties to the MTA to comply
fully with its provisions.

The priority now is to ensure that the provisions of the UNSCR are
implemented rapidly to create the conditions for the free and safe retum
of
the refugees and displaced persons to their homes.  We invite all Serb
and
other minority residents of Kosovo to remain and to contribute to the
creation of a democratic, multi-ethnic Kosovo.  The civil presence in
Kosovo will have a crucial and urgent role to create security, democracy
and economic reconstruction for all the peoples of an autonomous Kosovo
and
more widely in the region, consistent 'with the proposed Stability Pact
for
South Eastem Europe.

We urge the international donor community to meet at the earliest
possible
date and in close Kooperation with the mechanism of the (envisaged)
Stability Pact and with the European Union and the Worldbank, which will
have a decisive coordinating role, at an international conference that
should initiate all necessary steps for the reconstruction and economic
stabilisation in South Eastem Europe in order to give to the affected
countries in the region a strong signal of active international support
and
solidarity.  We welcome the European Union's readiness to begin this
process by convening with the World Bank a donors' conference, at the
earliest possible date, addressing the immediate needs for

rehabilitation
and reconstruction in Kosovo.

We reaffirm our full support for a negotiated comprehensive peace in the
Middle East, based on the principle of land for peace, UNSCRs 242, 338
and
425 and the agreements of Madrid and Oslo.  We call for full and
immediate
implementation of the Wye River Accord, immediate resumption of
permanent
status negotiations, and the avoidance of unilateral actions which might
prejudice the outcome of negotiations.

We believe that Iraq must comply with all relevant Security Council
resolutions.  We call upon the Security Council, basing itself upon the
reports of the panels on disarmament, humanitarian relief and the
treatment
of Kuwaiti missing persons to develop and adopt a comprehensive strategy
on
the basis of all relevant UNSCRS, building upon the recommendations of
the
panel reports.

We welcome recent political developments in Iran, including the holding
of
the first local elections, and Iran's leadership of the OIC.  We want to
see closer relations with Iran and we urge Iran to adopt a more positive
approach to the Middle East Peace Process.  We urge Iran to take further
measures to ensure the human rights of all citizens, including the
Baha'i
and other communities, and to act on a continuing basis in accordance
with
its condemnation of all forms of violence and terrorism.  We call upon
Iran
not to construct weapons of mass destruction and missiles to deliver
them.

We welcome the recent elections in Indonesia which we hope will lead to
reduced intemal tensions.  We will continue to support the reform
process
which we believe will encourage sustainable development to the benefit
of
the entire population.  We welcome the agreement on the future of East
Timor, signed on 5 May 1999 by the Secretary-General of the United
Nations
and the Foreign Ministers of Portugal and Indonesia.  We urge all
parties
to bring about rapid end to violence and the early deployment of UN
observers.  We look forward to a successful resolution of this long
standing issue in tenns acceptable to the East Timor people.

We support the Republic of Korea's policy of engagement with the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and welcome the resumption of
South-North Korean dialogue.  We continue to support the Agreed
Framework
and KEDO, and encourage broadened international support for its work. 
We
are concemed at the DPRK's missile test and export of missile
technology,
and expect it to avoid destabilizing activities.  We urge the DPRK to
act
constructively on security and humanitarian issues.

We are concemed about the suspension of the negotiations between the
factions in Afghanistan and the intensified fighting.  We urgently call
upon the factions to resume the negotiations under the auspices of the
UN.

We desire to see the full restoration of democracy and the respect of
human rights in Myanmar/Burma.

We are deeply concemed about the continuing military Konfrontation in
Kashmir, following the infiltration of militants across the Line of
Control.  We call upon India and Pakistan to respect the Line of
Control,

to work for an immediate cessation of the fighting, and to retum to the
negotiation table in the spirit of the Lahore declaration.

We welcome the progress made in many African countries in the field of
economic reforms, sustainable development, democracy and good
goverrunent
in the last decade.  In particular, we warmly welcome and strongly
support
Nigeria's retum to civilian rule and democracy.  We encourage Nigeria to
take early concrete steps towards economic and institutional reform and
to
create the open and transparent system essential to promote economic
growth
and prosperity.  We are deeply concerned by the extension of anned
conflicts, the huge influx of arms and military equipment to conflict
areas
in Afnca and the increasing role in these conflicts of nonstate entities
controlling resources whose trafficking fuels armed activities.  We urge
the International Community to consolidate its efforts to prevent
conflict
in Africa, and look forward to an enhanced UN effort, in Kooperation
with
the OAU and subregional organizations.

We are particularly concemed by the ongoing conflicts in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region as a whole, the resumption
of
civil war in Angola, the continuing conflict between Ethiopia and
Eritrea,
in Sudan and in Somalia, and condemn the overthrow of legitimste
authority
in Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Comoros.  We support the consolidation of
the
peace settlement in Sierra Leone.  It is vital that the relevant United
Nations Security-Council Resolutions should be fully respected, and we
encourage all efforts to resolve conflict which threatens the
development
of African countries and the stability and security of large parts of
Africa.

We reiterate our support for UN efforts to reach a comprehensive
settlement on the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant
Resolutions
of the UN Security Council.  We recommend that the G8 Summit leaders
urge
the UN Secretary-General to invite the leaders of both parties to enter
into comprehensive negotiations without pre-conditions.  We urge all
those
concemed to avoid any measures that could increase tensions on the
island
and complicate efforts to promote a just and lasting peace.


7. Social and Political Foundations for Resilient Economies
Experience has shown that those countries in which democracy and human
rights, the rule of law and good govemance are widely established, and
which participate effectively in regional cooperation, are generally
more
resilient and less vulnerable to the impact of unanticipated financial
and
economic crises.  Where a crisis nonetheless develops, it is essential
to
maintain effective social spending to mitigate the negative impact.  We
applaud efforts to promote capacity-building through the growing
cooperation of the International Financial Institutions, the United
Nations
and other international organisations and donors in order to reduce
systemic vulnerability to crises.  We also encourage sharing of best
practices on social safety nets and other social infrastructure.  We
urge
the International Financial Institutions to enhance their efforts to
assist

developing countries in making improvements in these areas, and to
continue
work on best practices in social policy with a view to assisting
vulnerable
groups and improving the foundation for effective development.

8. Non-Aligned Movement
We had a fruitful exchange of views over a wide ran e of global issues
for
the purpose of 9

strengthening our cooperation with our colleagues of the NAM-Troika
Delegation (South Africa, Colombia and Bangladesh).


Source: Bundespresseamt

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