Group of Eight powers today deplored violence stemming from Iran's disputed presidential election but held open the door for Tehran to take part in talks on its controversial nuclear programme.
The G8, and a separate meeting of the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers, threw their support behind a new peace drive in the region while calling for a total freeze on construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, including on "natural growth" of existing settlements.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rebuffed similar calls from US President Barack Obama's administration.
G8 foreign ministers had been due to discuss the fight against militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan at the gathering in the northern Italian port city of Trieste, but the crisis over the Iranian election dominated the meeting.
"We deplore post-electoral violence, which led to the loss of lives of Iranian civilians," said the G8, which includes the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia.
"We express our solidarity with those who have suffered repression while peacefully demonstrating and urge Iran to respect fundamental human rights," it said in a statement.
The G8 called for the crisis to be settled soon through "democratic dialogue and peaceful means".
About 20 people were killed in protests over Iran's June 12th election result, the worst unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Official results handed hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a landslide victory. Defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi said the vote was rigged.
Reuters