G7 calls for international conference on Libya

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) - The Group of Seven (G7) called on Monday for an international conference to bring together all the stakeholders and regional actors relevant to the conflict in Libya.

Only a political solution can ensure Libya’s stability, said the leaders in a common declaration released after the end of G7 summit in France's Biarritz.

"We call for a well-prepared international conference to bring together all the stakeholders and regional actors relevant to this conflict," the declaration stressed.

It also said that the G7 supports the work of the UN and the African Union to set up an inter-Libyan conference.

On Iran, the declaration called for ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons for peace and stability to be fostered in the region.

France and Germany will organize a summit in the coming weeks to achieve tangible results on Ukraine, it added.

Referring to the situation in Hong Kong, the declaration reaffirmed the existence and importance of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 on Hong Kong and called for violence to be avoided.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 provides Hong Kong a level of autonomy.

Hong Kong is witnessing unprecedented protests since early June against local government’s move to legalize extradition to mainland China.

Hong Kong is an autonomous region of China under "One Country, Two System" formula since July 1, 1997, when British handed over its former colony to Beijing.

The G7 declaration also said it wishes to overhaul the World Trade Organization to improve effectiveness with regard to intellectual property protection to settle disputes more swiftly and to eliminate unfair trade practices.

"The G7 commits to reaching in 2020 an agreement to simplify regulatory barriers and modernize international taxation within the framework of the OECD," it added.