JOINT STATEMENT
by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan on Combating International Terrorism
On February 2,2002, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Yoriko Kawaguchi,taking into account United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1368 and 1373,the G8 Heads of State and Government Statement in September 2001 and APEC Economic Leaders' Statement on Counter-Terrorism in October 2001, discussed issues of expansion of bilateral cooperation in the fight against international terrorism. The Sides, based on the provisions of the Joint Statement on Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Japan in International Affairs, signed in September 2000, confirmed mutual readiness to strengthen the cooperation.
The Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Japan condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11,2001, and express their deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of many countries and their families, as well as to the people and the Government of the United States of America.
In this context the Sides declare:
1. International terrorism presents a threat to international peace and security. Any acts, methods and practice of terrorism are crime and have no justification, from wherever and from whomever they may emanate, and by whatever motives the perpetrators may be guided.
2. The fight against international terrorism, which has become one of the priority tasks of the international community, calls for the joint efforts by all states of the world. The UN plays the main role in this. An important place in the fight against international terrorism is occupied by global mechanisms, including G8.Also of great significance is the consolidation of the solidarity of the international community at any levels, in particular, holding of an effective dialogue and coordination among the states of the Asia-Pacific region in a bilateral format or within the framework of such organizations as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the APEC and others.
3. The Sides, guided by the UN Charter and other international legal documents, will exert maximum efforts for the prevention and suppression of future terrorist acts in any forms. The Sides will further cooperate closely within the framework of the UN,G8 and other international fora with a view to the proper implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1368 and 1373. One of the most important steps in this direction would be the entry into force of all the twelve counter-terrorism conventions. In this context the Sides will, in particular, make efforts towards the early entry into force of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, mentioned in UN Security Council Resolution 1373, as well as support the efforts of the UN Secretary General aimed at getting as wide a range of states as possible to conclude the twelve conventions.
The Sides, in relation to the tasks of the fight against international terrorism, support the expeditious completion of the preparation and adoption of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and the draft International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
4. The Sides, taking into account the fact that a serious blow was dealt to the international terrorists and terrorist group that were on the territory of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, and that the Interim Authority of Afghanistan has begun to work, support the actions of the International Security Assistance Force operating in the territory of Afghanistan on the basis of a UN mandate in order to impart to the process of nation building in the country in which stability and constructive progress is necessary.
In addition, the Sides, based on the understanding of the indivisibility of the processes of reconstruction and the establishment of peace, for the purpose of supporting the Bonn Agreements of December 5,2001, and with due regard for the priorities for reconstruction pointed out by the Interim Authority of Afghanistan in the course of the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan in Tokyo, call upon the UN and the international community to provide support and, at the same time, jointly confirm their own intention to render such support to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
5. The Sides confirm a mutual intention to take the following concrete steps, aimed at the earliest and final eradication of terrorism:
1) to assist the prevention and suppression of the preparation and commission of terrorist acts in their respective territories;
2) to effect the detention and criminal prosecution of persons involved in the preparation and commission of terrorist acts and help the development of bilateral cooperation for these purposes;
3) based on the rules of international law and national legislation, to pay attention to ensuring that terrorists do not use organizations, groups and associations, including charitable, public and cultural ones to cover their activity;
4) to take necessary measures to counter and prevent the financing of terrorists and terrorist organizations;
5) to take proper actions in each country to prevent goods and technologies related to weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, biological and chemical weapons) from falling into terrorists' hands;
6) to continue active consultations under the aegis of the foreign affairs agencies of the Russian Federation and Japan with a view to further strengthening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fight against the global terrorist threat;
7) to develop bilateral cooperation with the object of preventing acts of terrorism and responding to terrorist actions.
| MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION I. IVANOV |
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN Y. KAWAGUCHI |
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