G7 foreign ministers to strengthen cooperation on global issues

The two-day G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting closed here on Monday with the foreign ministers of the seven countries issuing a joint communique, reaching consensus on a variety of global and regional issues including terrorism, refugees, and North Korea nuclear problem.

Countering terrorism was placed ahead of other challenges in the communique. It condemned recent terrorist attacks in Turkey, Belgium and other regions.

The communique said a concrete action plan on countering terrorism would be adopted at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit in May, Xinhua reported.

It also condemned "in the strongest terms" the nuclear test and missile launches by North Korea, and demanded Pyongyang not to conduct any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology, nor engage in any other destabilising or provocative actions.

Regarding the issue of refugees, the communique said the flow of refugees, irregular migrants and internally displaced persons is at the highest level since WWII and requires a decisive response by the international community.

It also addressed the issues of Iraq, Syria, Libya as well as climate change, anti-corruption, counter-narcotics, global health, among others.

Along with the communique, the ministers also issued two statements calling for nuclear disarmament and no-proliferation, one of which is also called the Hiroshima Declaration.

In the declaration, the ministers reaffirmed their "commitment to seeking a safer world for all and to creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons."

G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting is the first of a series of ministerial talks leading up to the G7 summit to be held in Mie prefecture in May.