ICAPP adopts Seoul Declaration on Peace and Prosperity in Asia

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

ICAPP adopts Seoul Declaration on Peace and Prosperity in Asia

The representatives of 90 political parties from 36 countries in Asia that took part in the Fourth General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) held in Seoul under the theme of "Peace and Prosperity in Asia" unanimously adopted the Seoul Declaration on September 10.

Based on the principles confirmed in the three previous general assemblies, the Seoul Declaration put forward a plan to develop the ICAPP aim for permanent peace and shared prosperity all across Asia.

Reaffirming the principle of "peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue," the Declaration calls for: dialogues among peoples with different religious beliefs and cultural heritages; eradication of the root causes of terrorism; poverty reduction; the comprehensive prohibition and thorough elimination of nuclear weapons; opposition to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their carriers; and collective efforts to build an Asian community.

The Declaration took note of the U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an early resumption of the Six-Party Talks and urging all the participants to fully implement the joint statement they announced last year to achieve a verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The Declaration also welcomes the recent signing of the treaty on the creation of a nuclear weapons free zone in Central Asia.

In the Declaration, opinions and proposals of member parties, including the JCP were incorporated.

As an annex to the Declaration, the general assembly also adopted the "Charter of the ICAPP" which stipulates the objectives, organizational structure, and outline of activities of the ICAPP.

The Charter has made the ICAPP a permanent organization in order to foster sustained dialogue based on the U.N. Charter and the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence.

The Secretariat of the ICAPP will be placed in Seoul until the host of the next general assembly is decided.

From Japan, other than the JCP delegation led by JCP Chair Shii, representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komei Party, the Democratic Party, and the Social Democratic Party participated in the ICAPP general assembly.
- Akahata, September 12, 2006