Press Releases

Japan-EU Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Talk

September 13, 2016

On September 13, commencing at 4:10 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a telephone talk with H.E. Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission. The overview of the talk is as follows.

1. Minister Kishida stated that North Korea’s action constituted an unprecedented level of threat to the peace and security of the region and the international community and Japan considers it to be totally unacceptable. Furthermore, Minister Kishida stated that the North Korea’s nuclear test is a repeated and clear violation of the successive relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the joint statements of the Six-Party Talks, and expressed Japan’s intention to cooperate with the EU in order to make a resolute response by the international community.

2. In response, High Representative Mogherini stated that the EU shares the same concerns as Japan, such as the fact that the current situation is an unprecedented level of threat and that she immediately contacted the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), and issued a statement on the matter. Furthermore, High Representative Mogherini expressed the intention of the EU to exchange information and work together with Japan.

3. Minister Kishida and High Representative Mogherini confirmed that Japan and the EU would continue to coordinate and work together closely on responses, including steps towards the adoption of a new UN Security Council resolution, in order to intensify pressure on North Korea.


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