G8 ministers share North Korea concerns

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Foreign ministers of G-8 nations, prior to attending the press conference on sexual violence against women, in London, on Thursday.

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

LONDON: G8 foreign ministers shared their deep concerns over North Korea at a meeting in London today that was dominated by Pyongyang’s nuclear threats as well as the bloody conflict in Syria.

North Korea’s expected missile launch was first on the agenda, followed by discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme and yesterday’s fresh appeals from the Syrian

opposition for weapons to fight President Bashar al-Assad, a British official said.

US actress Angelina Jolie also attended a session dedicated to sexual violence in conflict zones, which British Foreign Secretary William Hague has made a priority of his country’s chairmanship of the Group of Eight rich nations this year.

The talks, which began with informal meetings and a dinner yesterday, have been dominated by the rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and efforts to address the bloodshed in Syria.

The Japanese foreign minister made clear in talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday his deep concerns about North Korea’s increasingly threatening behaviour.

Fumio Kishida said Japan was extremely concerned over Pyongyang’s intention to restart nuclear facilities in Yongbyong as well as the expected missile launch and threats made against the US and its allies, a Japanese official told Kyodo News.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has warned that Pyongyang was “skating very close to a dangerous line”.

Kerry is due to visit South Korea and Japan after he leaves Britain.

The G8 condemned a North Korea missile launch last year and despite their divisions on other issues, is likely to agree on a similar response if this happens again, US officials say.

Russia has close ties to North Korea’s key ally China, and is at odds with the US and EU over their support for the opposition in Syria, but says it has “no differences” with Washington over the Korean crisis.

After talks with Kerry yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned however against exacerbating tensions with military manoeuvres — although he did not identify which country he believed was carrying out such manoeuvres.

“On North Korea we have no differences with the United States,” Lavrov told reporters. “One just shouldn’t scare anyone with military manoeuvres and there’s a chance that everything will calm down,” he said

The G8 ministers have also been discussing the conflict in Syria, which is now in its third year and has claimed 70,000 lives already, according to the United Nations.

Kerry and Hague met yesterday with members of the Syrian opposition, who renewed their appeal for weapons to aid their fight against Assad’s regime. But a top US State Department official said Kerry “did not promise anything”.

“We are always considering a variety of options, we are going to continue to aid the opposition, working with them in terms of what they need, in terms of what we’re willing to provide,” the official said.

The United States and European Union are currently providing non-lethal aid such as communications equipment, and are beginning to distribute food and medical supplies to the Free Syrian Army, but have stopped short of providing weaponry.