Reuters. The Group of Seven industrial powers drew together on Tuesday to criticise China's coercion of Taiwan and Russia's threat to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, promising to intensify sanctions on Moscow for its war on neighbouring Ukraine.
"The strength of the solidarity between the G7 foreign ministers is at a level not seen before," Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a news conference after hosting a meeting of the group in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa.
The G7 communique highlights how the dual issues of Russian military operations in Ukraine and fears of similar action by China against Taiwan have been a focus of the three-day meeting.
The group, which comprises the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada, described Russia's threat to put nuclear weapons in Belarus as "unacceptable". It said "any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in Ukraine "would be met with severe consequences".
The G7 ministers in their communique also warned other nations not to supply Russia's armed forces.
Reference also was made to the Iran’s nuclear programme. “We reiterate our clear determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon, and urge Iran to cease nuclear escalations. We call on Iran to fulfill its legal obligations and political commitments regarding nuclear non-proliferation without further delay”, said the communique.
On peacebuilding and peacekeeping, the G7 document said, “We renew our commitment to strengthening peacebuilding efforts to address increasingly complex and interconnected security challenges. We must build resilient societies, protect human rights, support good governance, and invest in people to achieve sustainable peace”.
The final G7 communique also touches upon Disaster-risk reduction, Gender Equality, Global health, Food security, nutrition, and humanitarian assistance, Energy security, climate change and environmental degradation, Countering foreign interference including disinformation, Outer space and cybersecurity, Development finance and infrastructure, Economic resilience and economic security, Disarmament and non-proliferation, Global governance, Free and open international order, Cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean Partners, G7-Africa Partnership, Working together with Central Asian countries, Cooperation for peace and stability in the Middle East and North Africa.
