JOINT STATEMENT ON FRIENDSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP IN A NEW ERA BETWEEN JAPAN AND GEORGIA
H.E.Mr.Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, and H.E.Mr.Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia,
Expressing their satisfaction at the continuous development of amicable relations between Japan and Georgia, and
Expressing their conviction that the present visit to Japan by President Mikheil Saakashvili will provide an important impetus to the further development of friendship and partnership between the two countries in the future,
Hereby issued the following statement.
1. Bilateral relations
Both sides reaffirmed their intention to contribute to the stability and prosperity of the Caucasus region by enhancing bilateral relations of the two countries that share fundamental values such as democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law and the market economy.
Both sides noted the importance of enhancing dialogue between the two governments at various levels as well as promoting political dialogue including the expansion of exchanges between the members of the two parliaments, who represent the peoples of their countries.
In this regard, the Japanese side highly valued the opening of the Embassy of Georgia in Japan in February 2007, which will consolidate the foundations for the development of bilateral relations.
The Japanese side also highly valued the remarkable progress that had been made in recent years in the democratization and the transition to the market economy in Georgia and expressed its strong support for the efforts of the Government of Georgia. The Japanese side stated its intention to continue providing appropriate assistance to Georgia for fostering the development in these areas.
In this regard, the Georgian side expressed its appreciation for Japan's holding a seminar on the management of parliament for Georgia's members of the parliament in Tokyo this March and its expectation for the continued support of this kind which contributes to the democratization of Georgia.
The Georgian side also expressed its gratitude to the official development assistance (ODA) that the Government of Japan has been consistently providing for the economic development and the alleviation of social difficulties during the transition period and expressed its expectation for the continued support.
Both sides welcomed the signing of the Agreement on technical cooperation between the Government of Japan and the Government of Georgia, viewing it as an important measure for further smooth implementation of technical cooperation between the two Governments.
2. Economic relations
Considering the importance of the roles to be played by the Japan-Georgia economic committee and the Georgia-Japan economic committee for the further expansion of trade and investment relations between the two countries, both sides welcomed that the second joint economic conference of the two committees would likely to be held in the near future.
Both sides also confirmed the effectiveness of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)'s activities for expanding trade and investment relations between the two countries and reaffirmed their intention to cooperate in holding exhibitions and seminars.
Both sides recognized that oil and other energy resources in the Caucasus and Central Asian regions are important for the energy security of the international society. Both sides are also aware that it is important for the energy-supply countries and transit countries to take responsible actions and noted the geographical importance of Georgia which is located on the transport route of energy resources extending to the west. In this regard, both sides welcomed that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, of which Japanese firms took part in the construction with the support of the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), became fully operational in May 2006, and expressed their expectation that the BTC pipeline and the South Caucasus gas pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum), of which the construction has been completed in December 2006, would contribute to the economic development of Georgia.
Both sides expressed the hope that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars New Railway Connection project, on which the agreement had recently been signed, would significantly contribute to the cooperation in regional and global perspective.
3. Enhancement of mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries
Both sides shared the view that the strengthening of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries is important for fostering mutual understanding and reinforcing mutual confidence.
In this regard, the Japanese side highly valued the visa exemption measure taken by Georgia for Japanese nationals entering Georgia from July 2005.
The Japanese side expressed its willingness to explore the possibility of providing necessary assistance to promote the introduction of Japanese language, culture, sports and so forth in Georgia.
In this regard, the Georgian side expressed its gratitude to the Japanese Grant Aid For Cultural Grassroots Project to establish Georgia-Japan Friendship Judo Hall in Tbilisi.
4. Cooperation in the international arena
Both sides shared the common recognition that there is a need for comprehensive reform of the United Nations to tackle the new threats to the security, sustainable development, and peace and stability of the world. Both sides in particular expressed their determination to work together actively towards the realization of the early reform of the Security Council based on the models expanding its membership in both permanent and non-permanent categories. In this regard, the Georgian side reiterated its strong support for Japan's permanent membership of the Security Council.
Both sides unequivocally denounced North Korea's launching of ballistic missiles and conducting a nuclear test and confirmed that North Korea shall never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. Both sides urged North Korea to fully implement the UN Security Council Resolutions 1695 and 1718, as well as the Joint-Statement of the Six-Party Talks of 19 September 2005, by in particular, taking concrete and effective steps to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. Both sides also urged North Korea to respond to other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community, including the abduction issue.
The Japanese side highly valued Georgia's efforts to promote democratization and stable economic development in the region through such initiatives as GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, the Community of Democratic Choice (CDC) and the Tbilisi Declaration on common vision for regional cooperation. The Georgian side highly evaluated Japan's diplomatic policy aiming at constructing a free and prosperous world based on fundamental democratic values as an effective way to contribute to the peace and stability of the region including the South Caucasus.
Both sides shared the view that peaceful solutions to the Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflicts in line with the principle of the territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders are essential for the peace and stability of the country and the entire South Caucasus region. They expressed their expectation that all the parties involved in the issues would accelerate the process toward peaceful solutions, while appreciating the efforts of the United Nations, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and EU to mediate the disputes.
Tokyo, 8 March 2007
| Shinzo Abe Prime Minister of Japan |
Mikheil Saakashvili President of Georgia |
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