G7 Leaders Agree to Cooperate in Crude Oil Transportation

Evian, France, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Leaders from the Group of Seven major powers ended their three-day summit in Evian, eastern France, on Wednesday, agreeing to cooperate in the resumption of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a key crude oil transportation route that has been effectively blockaded. In a statement on geopolitical issues released the same day, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union welcomed the announcement of a deal between the United States and Iran to end their conflict. The leaders also adopted multiple statements, including one on critical mineral supply chains, one expressing concern over export restrictions and another calling for the protection of children in digital spaces. This was the first G7 summit for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October last year. U.S. President Donald Trump, who left the G7 summit in Canada last year before it concluded, helped demonstrate G7 unity this time. On Wednesday, the G7 leaders discussed correcting the imbalance in the global economy. They also invited leaders of major artificial intelligence companies to exchange opinions. Trump had been at odds with European leaders who opposed the U.S. military operation against Iran. The G7 statement on geopolitical issues said that the multinational, independent and defensive initiative led by France and Britain “can play an important role to facilitate the resumption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz by protecting merchant vessels, reassuring commercial shipping operators, and supporting verification that all mines are removed.” “We reaffirm that the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls is the bedrock of international trade,” the leaders also said, adding that they reaffirmed that “Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.” The statement mentioned plans to diversify energy supply routes and build energy stocks to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. The leaders stressed that they “stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” They noted recent military successes by Ukraine and announced the provision of air defense and long-range attack capabilities, along with additional sanctions against Russia. On the Indo-Pacific situation, they emphasized the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law, in light of China’s increasingly assertive behavior. “We reaffirm our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force or coercion, in the East and South China Seas and across the Taiwan Strait, which should only be resolved peacefully through dialogue,” the statement said. They also expressed “deep concern” about North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and called for an immediate resolution of the abduction issue. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]