ID :
10144
Tue, 06/17/2008 - 10:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/10144
The shortlink copeid
Concerted coverage of G-8 summit acclaimed in Japan
Tokyo, June 17 (Itar-Tass) - Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura acclaims the active cooperation of the world's key news agencies in the work to highlight G-8 problems in view of the upcoming summit of the group's leaders, which is to be held on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido on July 7-9.
The Japanese minister expressed this appreciation at the Monday informal meeting here with members of the "Moscow Club", which
is an association of the heads of the key news agencies of the world.
It was set up on Itar-Tass initiative and its first meeting was held in the Russian capital in June 2006, on the eve of the St. Petersburg conference of the heads of the eight leading countries of the world.
President Vladimir Putin, who now heads the country's government, had then met with the news agency leaders at his Novo-Ogarevo residence.
Head of the ANSA News Agency Boris Biancheri, Associated Press
President Tom Curley, DPA President Malte von Trotha, Itar-Tass
Director-General Vitaly Ignatenko, and Reuters Global Director Michael
Lawrence came to the Japanese capital to discuss the key items on the
agenda of the G-8 summit and to exchange views on professional matters.
France Presse is represented at the talks by the chief of its Tokyo
office. Satoshi Ishikawa, the president of the Kyodo news agency, is
representing the Japanese press at the meeting as sponsor of the current "Moscow Club" conference, taking part in which is Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.
"I am welcoming your meeting with profound satisfaction at in the
headquarters of the Japanese Kyodo News Agency," the minister stressed. "I wish to greet you here as participants of the information summit, which is being held before the highest G-8 meeting," he added.
The Japanese foreign minister noted that he was aware of the upcoming meeting between the heads of the eight news agencies and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who will chair the G-8 summit on Hokkaido.
Therefore, Komura noted, "I shall report at ministerial level on our
preparatory work for the G-8 summit". As current chairman of the summit, Japan is coming out for a still more active discussion at the level of G-8 foreign ministers of such problems as non-proliferation, including the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran, he added.
"We would also like Japan, which is eager to turn into a state,
contributing to the consolidation of world peace, to take the lead in the international discussions of peacemaking efforts, including those under way in such regions as Afghanistan, the Middle East, and the Sudan. As to the North Korea problem, which ranks among the main challengers to non-proliferation, we would like the G-8 to address a strong message to it, calling on Pyongyang to renounce all nuclear weapons and nuclear programs in order to make headway towards the completion of the process of denuclearisation in keeping with the accords, earlier reached at the six-nation negotiations," Komura stressed.
He also pointed to the importance of urgently settling such a
humanitarian problem as the kidnapping of Japanese citizens by the North
Korean secret service". "We would like the international community to
release also a strong message on this problem," he stated. "Japan would
also like the G-8 to address a resolute call to Iran, urging it to stop
its program of enriching uranium as required by the resolutions of the
U.N. Security Council."
Komura drew attention to the importance of normalising the situation
in Afghanistan, of promoting the peace process in the Middle East, and of
settling the Sudan issue. Afghanistan is the G-8 greatest concern among
those problems, the Japanese foreign minister noted.
"Rehabilitation of Afghanistan is of decisive importance in the
context of our fight against terrorism", Komura stated. "The G-8 is bound
to say its word on this problem, especially this year due to the fact that
presidential elections are to be held in Afghanistan next year. The G-8
should get down to the improvement of the security system and to
reconstruction jobs in Afghanistan concurrently with successful efforts to
restore the country."
President of the Kyodo News Agency Ishikawa stressed, in turn, that
the Monday meeting of the heads of the key news services of the world was of great importance, especially at the threshold of the G-8 summit. "It is
a great honour for us to host a regular information summit," he noted. "On
the initiative of Itar-Tass we gathered in this format two years ago in
the Russian capital prior to the St. Petersburg meeting of the G-8
leaders," Ishikawa stated. "It was precisely then that we agreed to form
the 'Moscow Club' and to annually hold meetings of its members. The
beginning was also laid then for our meetings with the national leaders,
chairing the Group of Eight. Former President Vladimir Putin received us at Novo-Ogarevo at that time and we continued our work in Germany in 2007.
Today, the Kyodo Agency is arranging a meeting in the Japanese capital
with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda".
The role of the world news agencies "is growing increasingly difficult
due to the global changes occurring over the world. Regular exchanges are
of huge value for all of us. This helps us to discharge our common mission
of objectively informing the world public at large on the most important events," Ishikawa stated.
The Japanese minister expressed this appreciation at the Monday informal meeting here with members of the "Moscow Club", which
is an association of the heads of the key news agencies of the world.
It was set up on Itar-Tass initiative and its first meeting was held in the Russian capital in June 2006, on the eve of the St. Petersburg conference of the heads of the eight leading countries of the world.
President Vladimir Putin, who now heads the country's government, had then met with the news agency leaders at his Novo-Ogarevo residence.
Head of the ANSA News Agency Boris Biancheri, Associated Press
President Tom Curley, DPA President Malte von Trotha, Itar-Tass
Director-General Vitaly Ignatenko, and Reuters Global Director Michael
Lawrence came to the Japanese capital to discuss the key items on the
agenda of the G-8 summit and to exchange views on professional matters.
France Presse is represented at the talks by the chief of its Tokyo
office. Satoshi Ishikawa, the president of the Kyodo news agency, is
representing the Japanese press at the meeting as sponsor of the current "Moscow Club" conference, taking part in which is Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.
"I am welcoming your meeting with profound satisfaction at in the
headquarters of the Japanese Kyodo News Agency," the minister stressed. "I wish to greet you here as participants of the information summit, which is being held before the highest G-8 meeting," he added.
The Japanese foreign minister noted that he was aware of the upcoming meeting between the heads of the eight news agencies and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who will chair the G-8 summit on Hokkaido.
Therefore, Komura noted, "I shall report at ministerial level on our
preparatory work for the G-8 summit". As current chairman of the summit, Japan is coming out for a still more active discussion at the level of G-8 foreign ministers of such problems as non-proliferation, including the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran, he added.
"We would also like Japan, which is eager to turn into a state,
contributing to the consolidation of world peace, to take the lead in the international discussions of peacemaking efforts, including those under way in such regions as Afghanistan, the Middle East, and the Sudan. As to the North Korea problem, which ranks among the main challengers to non-proliferation, we would like the G-8 to address a strong message to it, calling on Pyongyang to renounce all nuclear weapons and nuclear programs in order to make headway towards the completion of the process of denuclearisation in keeping with the accords, earlier reached at the six-nation negotiations," Komura stressed.
He also pointed to the importance of urgently settling such a
humanitarian problem as the kidnapping of Japanese citizens by the North
Korean secret service". "We would like the international community to
release also a strong message on this problem," he stated. "Japan would
also like the G-8 to address a resolute call to Iran, urging it to stop
its program of enriching uranium as required by the resolutions of the
U.N. Security Council."
Komura drew attention to the importance of normalising the situation
in Afghanistan, of promoting the peace process in the Middle East, and of
settling the Sudan issue. Afghanistan is the G-8 greatest concern among
those problems, the Japanese foreign minister noted.
"Rehabilitation of Afghanistan is of decisive importance in the
context of our fight against terrorism", Komura stated. "The G-8 is bound
to say its word on this problem, especially this year due to the fact that
presidential elections are to be held in Afghanistan next year. The G-8
should get down to the improvement of the security system and to
reconstruction jobs in Afghanistan concurrently with successful efforts to
restore the country."
President of the Kyodo News Agency Ishikawa stressed, in turn, that
the Monday meeting of the heads of the key news services of the world was of great importance, especially at the threshold of the G-8 summit. "It is
a great honour for us to host a regular information summit," he noted. "On
the initiative of Itar-Tass we gathered in this format two years ago in
the Russian capital prior to the St. Petersburg meeting of the G-8
leaders," Ishikawa stated. "It was precisely then that we agreed to form
the 'Moscow Club' and to annually hold meetings of its members. The
beginning was also laid then for our meetings with the national leaders,
chairing the Group of Eight. Former President Vladimir Putin received us at Novo-Ogarevo at that time and we continued our work in Germany in 2007.
Today, the Kyodo Agency is arranging a meeting in the Japanese capital
with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda".
The role of the world news agencies "is growing increasingly difficult
due to the global changes occurring over the world. Regular exchanges are
of huge value for all of us. This helps us to discharge our common mission
of objectively informing the world public at large on the most important events," Ishikawa stated.
