Coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China, the leaders of 26 other nations issued a joint statement on Thursday, May 14, calling for a return to normal maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement, signed by countries including the United Kingdom, France, Bahrain, Canada, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and South Korea, emphasized their “commitment to using collective diplomatic, economic, and military capacities to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The statement declared: “Navigation must be free, in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and international law.” The signatory nations also expressed support for an “independent and strictly defensive multinational military mission” aimed at reopening the Strait through “mine-clearing operations.”
Hours before the release of the statement, Donald Trump told Fox News that the Chinese President had offered assistance in reopening the Strait and reaching an agreement with Iran, which has seized control of the waterway.
The 26 world leaders emphasized in today’s statement that the multinational mission would be “complementary to ongoing diplomatic efforts and de-escalation.” Prior to the statement’s publication, the British Ministry of Defence announced that the operation would commence “as soon as conditions permit, following the achievement of a sustainable ceasefire agreement.”
