  
| 
| ||||||||||||
Afghanistan, Mideast top G8 agenda
SPECIAL REPORTYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England (CNN) -- Foreign ministers from the world's richest countries have promised support for Afghanistan's democratic struggle and called for an orderly Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The Group of Eight ministers committed Thursday to "long-term support for the transformation of Afghanistan into a democracy, with parliamentary and provincial elections due in September," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said. Straw also said there is "no higher international priority" than the Middle East, adding that is "essential that the Israelis and Palestinians intensify their cooperation with one another" ahead of the planned withdrawal from Gaza in six weeks. He called the withdrawal a "major step toward two viable, secure states living in peace, side by side." Former World Bank President James Wolfenson outlined proposals for Gaza to be made economically viable, Straw said. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the Israeli government's decision to pull out of Gaza and four settlements on the West Bank "historic and, indeed, courageous" and expressed hope that it could give the parties involved a chance to build trust that could lead to more progress. Expressing concern that terrorist attacks could mar the handover, Straw, reading from a statement, noted that the G8 called "on the Palestinian Authority to press ahead with the reform agenda, in part to deliver on their security commitments with respect to the road map," a reference to the peace process backed by the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia. About Iran, the G8 reiterated its support for Iran to keep its nuclear fuel-cycle activity suspended, calling such a move "essential." On Zimbabwe, Straw said the foreign ministers discussed ongoing police operations "that have reportedly left thousands of the most vulnerable homeless and destitute and called on the government to abide by the rule of law and respect for human rights." He called on African leaders "not to continue to turn a blind eye to what is going on in Zimbabwe. If the reports are even half-true, and we believe them to be much more than half-true, this is a situation of serious international concern. "No government which subscribes to human rights and democracy should allow this kind of thing effectively to go on under their noses." About the reported killing Thursday of a senior al Qaeda member by U.S. forces on the Syrian-Iraq border, Rice called on the Syrian government to do more to prevent cross-border activities "that are really contributing dramatically to insecurity" in Iraq. "I'd simply say to the Syrian government, let's have action," she said. About a reported settlement of differences between North and South Korea, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura was not won over. "We certainly highly appreciate the serious efforts being made in South Korea but, in reality, I'm not sure of the details of this agreement," he said. "The North on one side claims to be a nuclear weapons state but, at the same time, they are prepared to give up their nuclear weapons. They speak in total contradiction. I believe North Korea should return to the six-party talks unconditionally." The object of discussions should not be simply to return to the talks, but to "entirely dismantle the nuclear programs and to dismantle their missiles," he said. The G8 is made up of the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Russia. 
|
| ||||||||||||
| © 2007 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
 |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
