G-7 Ministers vow to sustain Israel-Iran ceasefire
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major countries Wednesday welcomed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, vowing to work together to sustain the halt in hostilities.
At their meeting in The Hague, the Netherlands, the G-7 ministers discussed the increasingly tense situation in the Middle East.
"It's important to uphold the ceasefire and resume dialogue," Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at the meeting.
The Japanese government will "continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts," he added.
The ministers also discussed the Indo-Pacific situation, including China's increasing hegemonic moves and North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and missiles.
Iwaya sought support from Japan's G-7 partners--Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United States, plus the European Union--for resolving the issue of abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korea decades ago.
"Unity of the G-7 is extremely important for dealing with various challenges facing the international community, including the situation in the Middle East," Iwaya told reporters after the meeting.
He also held a separate meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and affirmed their support for discussions among ministers in charge of bilateral tariff negotiations toward an agreement.
The Japanese minister is visiting The Hague to attend events related to the two-day NATO Summit through Wednesday.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
