LONDON – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday opened the Group of Seven’s first in-person talks in two years by presenting the new administration’s fresh approach on North Korea, which has already denounced it.
With Covid raging in India but increasingly coming under control in the West, Britain welcomed foreign ministers of the club of wealthy democracies to London discuss a post-pandemic agenda and prepare for a G7 summit in southwest England next month.
India, South Korea, South Africa and Asean bloc chair Brunei were invited as guests to the three days of talks, which will also address rising tensions with Russia and China as well as diplomacy to revive a nuclear accord with Iran.
The State Department said that Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi “shared their concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes” in their meeting.
They agreed to work together along with Japan’s sometime rival South Korea “towards denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” a statement said.