G 8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Cologne, "Gürzenich",
10 June 1999 - Conclusions

1. On the eve of a new millennium, characterized by globalization, and aware of unprecedented opportunities but also continuing challenges to peace, stability and prosperity, we discussed a number of issues of common G 8 and global concern. We drew the following conclusions:

2. Trying to identify the major challenges which face us at the end of the 20th century, we observed

   • that the main goal of the peoples of the United Nations to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war is not yet achieved;

   • international stability has been undermined by regional, ethnic and intra-state conflicts; the disintegration and fragmentation of sovereign states constitutes a serious danger to international peace and security;

   • democracy has made significant progress around the world, but by no means all people have the opportunity to live in democratic societies, and in some areas the pace of democratic reform has slowed;

   • human rights enjoy greater recognition, but by no means everywhere in the world can people invoke them as guaranteed rights;

   • not all persons, especially those caught up in armed conflict, enjoy the right to protection enshrined in the UN Charter;

   • the increased availability of weapons, from small arms to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, runs counter to international efforts to reduce and control those weapons, for the purpose of enhancing international security and stability;

   • Terrorism, organised crime and drug trafficking continue to endanger our democracies and international stability, despite our efforts and international cooperation;

   • the integration of markets and the unprecedented mobility of people, information, goods and capital, have generated economic growth, improved living standards, shared ideas, values and cultural understanding and placed a premium on investing in people and social infrastructure, but globalization has also brought new risks and inherent vulnerabilities in both developed and developing countries;

   • international financial crises can undermine social cohesion and challenge us to secure and enhance the social benefits of globalization;

   • sustainable development is rapidly taking hold, with unprecedented reductions in poverty and improvements in environmental protection, but many people continue to live in poverty and serious environmental degradation persists;

3. Human security

   The effective protection of people, both individually and collectively, remains central to our agenda. The G 8 is determined to fight the underlying causes of the multiple threats to human security, and is committed to creating an environment where the basic rights, the safety and the very survival of all individuals are guaranteed. We emphasized that crucial cornerstones of human security remain democracy, human rights, rule of law, good governance and human development.

   We regarded the spread of small arms, the danger posed by landmines, international terrorism and transnational crime, drugs and infectious diseases, poverty, economic distress and oppression to be among the most serious threats to mankind. As effective action against these threats, the G 8 agrees to support;

   • the protection of civilians and the safeguarding of the rights of children in armed conflicts,

   • combating illicit small arms proliferation,

   • control of conventional arms transfer

   • implementation of the Ottawa Convention on landmines

   • combating organised crime, drug trafficking and terrorism, including by advancing the conventions for the suppression of terrorism financing and combating acts of nuclear terrorism.

4. Conflict prevention

   Central to our vision for improved conflict prevention and management is a reformed, effective and efficient United Nations. Full respect for the provisions of the UN Charter and the principles and norms of international law is fundamental. Strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law is also of crucial importance.

   • On the eve of the new millennium, we will meet in Berlin in December 1999 on the initiative of the German Presidency to discuss conflict prevention and conflict resolution.

5. Non-proliferation and disarmament

   We remain committed to further enhancing the process of disarmament and strengthening the international non-proliferation regime and to ensure effective export control mechanisms. We continue to follow the deteriorating situation in South Asia closely, including the effects of the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests. Recalling the provisions of UNSC resolution 1172, we call upon India and Pakistan to implement the CBMs on which they have embarked and, as a matter of priority, to follow through on their declared intention to adhere to the CTBT and the remaining provisions.

   In the field of disarmament and non-proliferation cooperation, we welcome all the initiatives currently being planned and undertaken by G 8 countries and others, including an adequately financed expanded threat reduction programme.

   We recognise the need for the safe and effective management of weapons-grade nuclear material designated as no longer required for defence purposes including plutonium disposition, remain committed to continue our work on this issue and strongly support the concrete initiatives undertaken to that end. We confirm the commitment of our countries to work for an early start to negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty.

   We remain determined to ensure the early and successful conclusion to the negotiations on a legally-binding Protocol to strengthen the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and press for universal adherence to and implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

6. Regional issues

   On May 6, 1999 we convened on the Petersberg, Bonn, and agreed on general principles we deemed indispensable for ending violence and repression in Kosovo and enabling the safe and free return to Kosovo of all refugees and displaced persons. Based on these principles, Martti Ahtisaari, President of Finland, acting on behalf of the European Union, and Viktor Chernomyrdin, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, presented to President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade on June 2, 1999, a peace plan which was accepted by the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. The momentum created hereby allowed us at our meeting in Cologne, "Gürzenich", on June 8, 1999 to succeed in preparing a United Nations Security Council resolution which will provide the basis for a fair and viable political solution.

   We welcome the Military Technical Agreement of 9 June 1999 and look forward to an early ceasefire and the beginning of a verified withdrawal of Serb forces from Kosovo. This will allow the suspension of military action, the immediate adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution, and the rapid introduction into Kosovo of international civil and security presences. This is bringing to fruition the intensive efforts of the last weeks and days to end violence and to restore peace in Kosovo. We call upon the parties to the MTA to comply fully with its provisions.

   The priority now is to ensure that the provisions of the UNSCR are implemented rapidly to create the conditions for the free and safe return of the refugees and displaced persons to their homes. We invite all Serb and other minority residents of Kosovo to remain and to contribute to the creation of a democratic, multi-ethnic Kosovo. The civil presence in Kosovo will have a crucial and urgent role to create security, democracy and economic reconstruction for all the peoples of an autonomous Kosovo and more widely in the region, consistent with the proposed Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.

   We urge the international donor community to meet at the earliest possible date and in close cooperation with the mechanism of the (envisaged) Stability Pact and with the European Union and the Worldbank, which will have a decisive coordinating role, at an international conference that should initiate all necessary steps for the reconstruction and economic stabilisation in South Eastern Europe in order to give to the affected countries in the region a strong signal of active international support and solidarity. We welcome the European Union's readiness to begin this process by convening with the World Bank a donors' conference, at the earliest possible date, addressing the immediate needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction in Kosovo.

   We reaffirm our full support for a negotiated comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on the principle of land for peace, UNSCRs 242, 338 and 425 and the agreements of Madrid and Oslo. We call for full and immediate implementation of the Wye River Accord, immediate resumption of permanent status negotiations, and the avoidance of unilateral actions which might prejudice the outcome of negotiations.

   We believe that Iraq must comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions. We call upon the Security Council, basing itself upon the reports of the panels on disarmament, humanitarian relief and the treatment of Kuwaiti missing persons to develop and adopt a comprehensive strategy on the basis of all relevant UNSCRs, building upon the recommendations of the panel reports.

   We welcome recent political developments in Iran, including the holding of the first local elections, and Iran's leadership of the OIC. We want to see closer relations with Iran and we urge Iran to adopt a more positive approach to the Middle East Peace Process. We urge Iran to take further measures to ensure the human rights of all citizens, including the Baha'i and other communities, and to act on a continuing basis in accordance with its condemnation of all forms of violence and terrorism. We call upon Iran not to construct weapons of mass destruction and missiles to deliver them.

   We welcome the recent elections in Indonesia which we hope will lead to reduced internal tensions. We will continue to support the reform process which we believe will encourage sustainable development to the benefit of the entire population. We welcome the agreement on the future of East Timor, signed on 5 May 1999 by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Foreign Ministers of Portugal and Indonesia. We urge all parties to bring about rapid end to violence and the early deployment of UN observers. We look forward to a successful resolution of this long standing issue in terms acceptable to the East Timor people.

   We support the Republic of Korea's policy of engagement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and welcome the resumption of South-North Korean dialogue. We continue to support the Agreed Framework and KEDO, and encourage broadened international support for its work. We are concerned at the DPRK's missile test and export of missile technology, and expect it to avoid destabilizing activities. We urge the DPRK to act constructively on security and humanitarian issues.

   We are concerned about the suspension of the negotiations between the factions in Afghanistan and the intensified fighting. We urgently call upon the factions to resume the negotiations under the auspices of the UN.

   We desire to see the full restoration of democracy and the respect of human rights in Myanmar/Burma.

   We are deeply concerned about the continuing military confrontation in Kashmir, following the infiltration of militants across the Line of Control. We call upon India and Pakistan to respect the Line of Control, to work for an immediate cessation of the fighting, and to return to the negotiation table in the spirit of the Lahore declaration.

   We welcome the progress made in many African countries in the field of economic reforms, sustainable development, democracy and good government in the last decade. In particular, we warmly welcome and strongly support Nigeria's return to civilian rule and democracy. We encourage Nigeria to take early concrete steps towards economic and institutional reform and to create the open and transparent system essential to promote economic growth and prosperity. We are deeply concerned by the extension of armed conflicts, the huge influx of arms and military equipment to conflict areas in Africa and the increasing role in these conflicts of non-state entities controlling resources whose trafficking fuels armed activities. We urge the International Community to consolidate its efforts to prevent conflict in Africa, and look forward to an enhanced UN effort, in cooperation with the OAU and subregional organizations.

   We are particularly concerned by the ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region as a whole, the resumption of civil war in Angola, the continuing conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, in Sudan and in Somalia, and condemn the overthrow of legitimate authority in Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Comoros. We support the consolidation of the peace settlement in Sierra Leone. It is vital that the relevant United Nations Security-Council Resolutions should be fully respected, and we encourage all efforts to resolve conflict which threatens the development of African countries and the stability and security of large parts of Africa.

   We reiterate our support for UN efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement on the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant Resolutions of the UN Security Council. We recommend that the G8 Summit leaders urge the UN Secretary-General to invite the leaders of both parties to enter into comprehensive negotiations without pre-conditions. We urge all those concerned to avoid any measures that could increase tensions on the island and complicate efforts to promote a just and lasting peace.

7. Social and Political Foundations for Resilient Economies

   Experience has shown that those countries in which democracy and human rights, the rule of law and good governance are widely established, and which participate effectively in regional cooperation, are generally more resilient and less vulnerable to the impact of unanticipated financial and economic crises.

   Where a crisis nonetheless develops, it is essential to maintain effective social spending to mitigate the negative impact. We applaud efforts to promote capacity-building through the growing cooperation of the International Financial Institutions, the United Nations and other international organisations and donors in order to reduce systemic vulnerability to crises. We also encourage sharing of best practices on social safety nets and other social infrastructure. We urge the International Financial Institutions to enhance their efforts to assist developing countries in making improvements in these areas, and to continue work on best practices in social policy with a view to assisting vulnerable groups and improving the foundation for effective development.

8. Non-Aligned Movement

   We had a fruitful exchange of views over a wide range of global issues for the purpose of strengthening our cooperation with our colleagues of the NAM-Troika delegation (South Africa, Colombia and Bangladesh).

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