Global energy security

We adopted the St. Petersburg Plan of Action to enhance global energy security through efforts to increase the transparency, predictability and stability of the global energy markets, improve the investment climate in the energy sector, promote energy efficiency and energy conservation, diversify the energy mix, ensure the physical safety of critical energy infrastructure, reduce energy poverty and address climate change and sustainable development.

In this plan we undertook to reduce barriers to energy investment and trade, making it possible for companies from energy producing and consuming countries to invest in and acquire upstream and downstream assets internationally. We also stressed the need for better risk-sharing between all stakeholders in the energy supply chain through economically sound diversification between different types of contracts, including market-based long-term and spot contracts, timely decision-making and appropriate adherence and enforcement of contractual agreements.

Education for innovative societies in the 21st century

We are resolved to encourage investment in the “knowledge triangle”--education, including lifelong learning, research and innovation. We shall promote cooperation with the private sector to foster diverse, efficient, sustainable higher education institutions.

We shall facilitate the wider use of information and communication technologies, enhance standards in mathematics, science, technology and foreign languages, and support the engagement of highly qualified teachers in these critical areas.

We underlined the need to increase exchanges in science and technology and other areas of education at all levels and promote better understanding, recognition and transparency of foreign qualifications and educational outcomes. In this connection Russia proposed the establishment of an expert group to develop criteria and procedures for evaluating educational outcomes and qualifications. The group could include representatives of state organizations, business and civil society.

Fight against infectious diseases

We will seek to enhance international capacities to monitor and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases through the establishment of new laboratories and strengthening the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.

Aware of the threat posed by avian influenza, we will cooperate closely with each other and with relevant international organizations and other partners in preparing for a possible human influenza pandemic. We called on donors to honor commitments made at the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza. The G-8 members also welcomed the Russian presidency’s proposal to establish the WHO Collaborating Center on Influenza for Eurasia and Central Asia to enhance the international capacity to counter the spread of the virus.

We reaffirmed our commitments to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and agreed to work further with other donors to mobilize resources for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and to continue to pursue [virtually] universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment for those who need it by 2010. We also resolved to support the Global Plan to Stop Tuberculosis aimed at saving up to 14 million lives by 2015 and to provide resources in cooperation with African countries to scale up action against malaria. With the aim of monitoring progress in tackling these three major pandemics, we agreed to a regular review of our work in this field.

We will also continue to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative so that the planet can be declared polio-free within the next few years.

Other issues

We adopted a separate statement on trade where we urged all the parties to commit to the concerted leadership and action needed to reach a successful conclusion of the Doha Round by the end of 2006.

We addressed the proliferation implications of Iran’s advanced nuclear program and confirmed our commitment to see those implications resolved. We fully supported the proposals presented to Iran in June 2006 on behalf of China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and the United States with the support of the high representative of the European Union for a long-term comprehensive agreement with Iran based on cooperation and mutual respect. [Since] Iran [has not] shown a willingness to engage in serious discussions of those proposals and failed to take the steps needed to allow negotiations to begin, specifically the suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, as required by the International Atomic Energy Agency and supported in the UN Security Council Presidential Statement, we supported the decision of those countries’ ministers to return the issue of Iran to the UN Security Council. Iran has a serious choice to make and we invited it to make the right decision--to react positively to the concrete proposals presented to it on June 6, 2006.

We addressed nuclear and other security concerns as well as humanitarian issues regarding the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We expressed support for UN Security Council Resolution 1695 of July 15, 2006, which condemns the launches by the DPRK of ballistic missiles on July 5, 2006. We urge the DPRK to reestablish its preexisting commitment to a moratorium on missile launching. These missile launches intensify our deep concerns over the DPRK’s nuclear weapons programs and we strongly urge the DPRK to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.

We strongly support the six-party talks, and urge the DPRK to promptly return to them without precondition and to cooperate in implementing the Joint Statement of September 2005 in good faith. We also urge the DPRK to respond to other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community, including early resolution of the abduction issue.

In Lebanon and Gaza the most urgent priority is for a cessation of violence and not to allow extremist elements to plunge the region into chaos and provoke a wider conflict. There must be an end to the suffering of innocent people and priority must be given to political and diplomatic methods toward a settlement, with a central role for the UN.