Japanese premier calls consensus on G-20 declaration ‘a meaningful achievement'

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Sunday that under the leadership of India as this year’s chair, the G-20 grouping of the world's most powerful economies was able to agree on a leaders’ declaration, which is a “truly meaningful achievement.”

Kishida was addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the G-20 Summit in New Delhi.

“Leaders of the world's major economies discussed urgent challenges faced by the global community such as food security, development, health and digital issues. I explained Japan's position and initiatives in such areas,” he said.

Speaking about Russia’s war against Ukraine, Kishida said that “throughout the meetings, Japan has pressed for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and the realization of a just and durable peace in Ukraine.”

“We underscored our position that Russia’s nuclear threat, let alone use of nuclear weapons, is absolutely unacceptable,” he added.

“The fact that all G-20 members concurred on the importance of a just and durable peace in Ukraine and principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty, as reflected in the G-20 declaration, is truly a significant achievement,” said Kishida.

“I also highlighted the importance of assistance by the global community to vulnerable populations under conflict,” he said.

Meanwhile, he stressed that his country’s new Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy is an inclusive and open concept.

“The FOIP that Japan is promoting is a concept to uphold and reinforce a free and open international order based on rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region. And by doing so, we aim to ensure peace and stability and prosperity in the entire region and ultimately across the world. That is the vision,” he added.

The FOIP is a diplomatic strategy launched by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Kenya in August 2016. Its aim is to make the Indo-Pacific region a free and fair international community, free from force and intimidation.