Camp David, historical and emblematic place for the beginning of the next “era of cooperation” between the three countries
MADRID, 18 (EUROPA PRESS)
The United States, South Korea and Japan have announced this Friday, within the framework of the trilateral summit held at Camp David, that they will launch annual trilateral exercises in response to provocations by China and North Korea.
“We openly declare that we are united in a common purpose to strengthen a shared region. Our purpose is to ensure that Japan, Korea, and the United States are aligned on actions and goals to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is prosperous, connected, resilient, stable, and secure. “, they have declared.
In this sense, they have reported in a joint statement collected by the White House that they will hold trilateral meetings “between leaders, foreign and defense ministers and National Security advisers at least once a year” in order to “share information” and “coordinate responses” on different fronts.
ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND MISSILES
“We are committed to further ballistic missile defense cooperation to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. We reaffirm that achieving a world without nuclear weapons is a common goal of the international community,” the three countries said.
Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have assured that they are doing “everything possible to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again.” They have also expressed their commitment to the complete “denuclearization” of the Korean peninsula.
In this way, they have urged North Korea to “abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs”, while they have condemned the “unprecedented number” of launches by Pyongyang, including intercontinental ones.
The three countries have also announced a new joint task force to “combat cyberthreats” from North Korea, while expressing concern that these cyber activities “fund their illegal weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.”
Finally, they have stressed that they remain “committed to reestablishing dialogue” with Pyongyang “without preconditions”, at the same time that they have supported Seoul’s peace initiative to establish “a unified Korean peninsula that is free and at peace”.
“We promise to strengthen cooperation to promote respect for Human Rights in North Korea and we reaffirm a shared commitment to the immediate resolution of the problems of the kidnapped, detained and non-repatriated prisoners of war,” they added.
THE SOUTH CHINESE SEA AND TAIWAN
The United States, South Korea and Japan will also create an annual trilateral dialogue on the Indo-Pacific to coordinate actions and “uphold regional security, strengthen the region’s participation and promote common prosperity.”
In this sense, they have denounced the “dangerous and aggressive behavior” of Beijing in the face of its “illegal maritime claims” in the South China Sea. “We strongly oppose any unilateral attempt to change the ‘status quo’ in Indo-Pacific waters,” they said.
Specifically, they have named as their main concerns the militarization of the area, the “dangerous” use of ships and “military boats”, as well as “coercive” activities and “illegal, unreported and unregulated” fishing.
“We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the international community. There are no changes in our basic positions on Taiwan, and we call for a peaceful solution,” they argued.
RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE
Finally, the three countries have reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine in the face of “Russia’s war of aggression”, which has “shaken the foundations of the international order”. “We commit to continue providing assistance to Ukraine, to impose coordinated and strong sanctions against Russia and to accelerate the reduction of dependence on Russian energy,” they said.
Thus, Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have pointed out that the lesson of this “catastrophic” Russian invasion of Ukraine should be “the defense of the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty”, as well as the “peaceful solution” of disputes.
“We reaffirm our opinion that when these fundamental principles are rejected anywhere, this represents a threat to our region. We are united in our intention to guarantee that such atrocious acts are not committed again,” they have settled.
PRINCIPLES OF THE CAMP DAVID SUMMIT
The three countries have also signed two documents, ‘Camp David Principles’ and a ‘Consultation Commitment’, outlining the commitment both to implement such trilateral cooperation and to hold consultations going forward.
Yoon and Kishida have been received by Biden at Camp David, the rest residence of the US president and located on the outskirts of Washington DC, an emblematic place in history due to the peace agreements signed between Egypt and Israel in 1979.
“I cannot think of a more suitable place to start the next era, our next era of cooperation, a place that has always symbolized the power of new beginnings and new possibilities,” Biden said in this regard, as reported by the CNN network.
