Ｇ７会議、来週開催で合意　アフガンめぐり意見交換―米英首脳

　【ワシントン時事】バイデン米大統領は１７日、ジョンソン英首相と電話会談を行い、アフガニスタン情勢を協議する先進７カ国（Ｇ７）首脳のテレビ会議を来週開催することで合意した。英国はＧ７議長国。バイデン氏が外国首脳と電話で会談したのは、アフガンのイスラム主義組織タリバンによる首都カブール制圧後初めて。
　ホワイトハウスによると、両首脳はカブールで米英国民やアフガン人協力者の脱出支援に当たる軍要員らを称賛。「難民や弱い立場のアフガン国民に対する人道支援の方策など、今後のアフガン政策で、同盟国や民主主義パートナー国が引き続き協力する必要性」について意見交換した。
　英首相府によれば、ジョンソン氏は現地での人道支援強化や難民対応に関する英側の計画を説明した。また、テロの脅威から自国を守り「（アフガン軍事作戦が続いた）この２０年間で達成したものを失わないことが重要だ」と強調した。（2021/08/18-10:16）

U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed in telephone talks Tuesday to hold a videoconference among the leaders of the Group of Seven major industrial nations next week for discussions on the situation in Afghanistan.
   The leaders of the seven countries--Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States--will talk about "a common strategy and approach" on the Afghan situation, the White House said. The European Union is seen taking part in the G-7 summit.
   This was Biden's first phone conversation with a foreign leader since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday. Britain currently serves as chair of the G-7 framework.
   Biden and Johnson discussed "the need for continued close coordination among allies and democratic partners on Afghanistan policy going forward, including ways the global community can provide further humanitarian assistance and support for refugees and other vulnerable Afghans," according to the White House.
   There is a growing view that the United States' stance of sticking to its decision to pull its troops out of Afghanistan has led to the rise of the Taliban. At the videoconference, Biden is expected to justify the troop withdrawal and ask his G-7 partners to take a coordinated approach on dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, informed sources said.