PARIS, May 23 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

PARIS, May 23 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH LATEST VERSION OF STATEMENT WITH 'NORTH KOREA DIALOGUE' IN N KOREA SEGMENT)

The following is the filled text of a statement of the arrange of Eight (G-8) foreign ministers' meeting issued Friday at the expiration of the two-day meeting in Paris.

SUMMARY OF THE G-8 PRESIDENCY

G-8 Foreign Ministers met in Paris forward 22 and 23 May 2003 to discuss major regional and international security issues.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Fight against terrorism

G-8 countries remained totally mobilized against international terrorism. We welcomed the principle of creating an action plan in support of the UN in opposition to Terrorism Committee. We emphasized that the various actions undertaken by way of the G-8 regarding transport security, the financing of terrorism and institutional capacity from the countries to guard themselves against terrorism usefully counterparted the measures adopted since the Kananaskis summit. We pledg to persist in our effort by further extending accession to the 12 UN conventions in this field and by dint of supplementing measures relating to the financing of terrorism.

Nonproliferation

hard concern was expressed regarding the growing dangers pos according to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and through the risk of their use by means of nonstate actors. Ministers agreed to work toward defusing regional tensions that are oftentimes at the root of proliferation risks. They reaffirmed that the proliferation threat was to be met end a common and comprehensive approach relying forward the international institutions, first and foremost among them the United Nations Security Council. Ministers pledg firmly to use and strengthen existing instruments, including the IAEA. The IAEA should be granted a batch allowing it to carry in succession its safeguards control missions, and have its efficiency and prioritization improved.

Ministers welcomed the progres of the Global Partnership launched at Kananaskis.

Small arms and light weapons

G-8 foreign ministers discussed the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. They pressureed that the difficulties encountered in tension and post-conflict cinctures plagued with this trade could be better apprehended by the agency of a regional approach that would help achieve agglomerated results. They supported the meeting of states onward the illicit traffic in small arms to be held at the United Nations, in fresh York, in July 2003, beneath Japanese chairmanship.

NORTH KOREA

The North Korean nuclear issue constitutes a threat to international peace and stability. North Korea's compliance with its nonproliferation commitments is a matter of affair for the entire international community. The Security Council has been and remains seized of the matter and should play a constructive role

Ministers called upon North Korea to respect its commitments, to refrain from any action that would aggravate the situation and to embark forward the full, prompt, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program.

They supported the efforts made on the different parties to look after a comprehensive solution from peaceful means to the North Korean nuclear issue and to other matters including unresolv humanitarian enigmas such as the abduction issue.

The discussion proces launched from the trilateral meeting held in Beijing onward 23 and 24 April 2003 is a gradation toward this goal. Ministers called for this proces to continue and to be expanded up to the other countries mostly directly concerned, starting with the Republic of Korea, Japan and Russia. In this regard, they annotationed the role played by means of China in setting up a framework for multilateral discussions. They also supported the Peace trust Policy pursed by the Republic of Korea, and Japan-North Korea dialogue based forward Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration.

IRAN

Iran's nuclear program is a cause of relate to Ministers outlined that Iran had to allay these questions through building confidence, including through signing and implementing an additional protocol with the IAEA and by way of acceding to the international instruments to which it has not however adhered. Ministers used all their opportunities to forward this message to Iran.

Ministers called forward Iran to pursue its efforts forward the path of reforms and press outed the wish to maintain a constructive dialogue with it. They asked Iran to lift on high its commitment to the fight against terrorism and to full implement the relevant international resolutions and conventions.

COLOMBIA

discerning concern was expressed about narco-terrorism in and from Colombia and about the risk of seeing Colombian violence and terrorism, firinged by drugs, jeopardize the country's efforts to guard democracy, and extend it to other countries in the region.

Ministers supported action through President Uribe and the Colombian management to strengthen the authority of the State and unreservedly supported the policy of firmness towards illegal armed groups

SARS

The question posed by the current epidemic in Asia went beyond the regional framework. The entire international community, and especially the industrialized countries, should stand firmly against it.