Support for Ukraine and China’s attitude towards the situation are also on the agenda.
Foreign ministers of the seven major countries (G7) are scheduled to hold a meeting in Tokyo, Japan on the 7th and 8th. The situation in Israel and Palestine is discussed.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun and Japanese public broadcaster NHK on the 7th, G7 foreign ministers will discuss measures to curb the situation in Israel and Palestine, support for Ukraine due to the prolonged Russian invasion, and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region with China in mind at this meeting.
This is the first time that the G7 foreign ministers have gathered in one place for a face-to-face meeting since the 7th of last month, when the Palestinian armed faction Hamas and Israel clashed.
Specifically, the working dinner on the afternoon of the 7th, the first day of the conference, is expected to mainly discuss the Israeli and Palestinian situations. Specific measures to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, a temporary humanitarian ceasefire, and a ‘two-state solution’ in which Israel and Palestine recognize each other’s sovereignty and coexist are expected to be discussed.
On the 8th, opinions are expected to be shared on the situation in Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, including China and North Korea.
An expanded meeting is also scheduled to include the foreign ministers of the five invited Central Asian countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Ministers from the five countries will participate through an online format.
The five Central Asian countries are rich in energy and mineral resources, including oil and natural gas. They faced the threat of being overly dependent on Russia after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Taking this as an opportunity, China, Russia and the G7 are carrying out diplomacy to strengthen their engagement with each other.
At this meeting, the G7 intends to demonstrate its cooperative stance, including economic development, to the five Central Asian countries.
A press conference by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, the chair country, is also scheduled for the afternoon of the 8th.
Recently, it was revealed that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was fooled by a prank call from a Russian YouTuber and mentioned his fatigue over the war in Ukraine. This G7 meeting is expected to show solidarity in support for Ukraine.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference on the 6th regarding the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, “I will urge that we must unite in support of Ukraine even as tensions in the Middle East situation increase.” “I will lead the G7 discussions,” he emphasized.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.