Message Conveyed from Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi to Russian Foreign Minister Igor Sergeevich Ivanov on the Train Explosion Terrorist Attack in the Stavropol Region

December 5, 2003

On December 5, a message was conveyed from Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi to Minister for Foreign Affairs Igor Sergeevich Ivanov of the Russian Federation through the Embassy of Japan in Russia regarding the train explosion terrorist attack which occurred in the Stavropol region in Russia. The following is the summary of the message.

"I would like to extend my deepest condolences for the victims of the train explosion terrorist attack and their families which occurred in the Stavropol region.

Terrorist acts such as this one on a train, a public transportation system, which resulted in a vast number of victims, are most distressing and these terrorist acts shall never be tolerated nor justified under any kind of circumstances.

The fight against terrorism is an issue that the international community must tackle together as one and we wish to maintain our close contacts with Foreign Minister Ivanov regarding this issue."