Brussels, 13/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Washington on 11 and 12 April, G8 foreign ministers (Germany, Canada, the USA, France, the UK, Italy, Japan and Russia) called on the international community to provide a secure donation of US$1.1 billion to meet the financial needs of the Palestinian Authority in 2012. They urged the Israeli government to back the Palestinian Authority's budget stability and make it easier for the Palestinian economy to grow by taking significant measures to improve the circulation of individuals and goods, development, trade and exports from the Left Bank and the Gaza Strip. The ministers urged both sides to pursue dialogue and introduce measures to boost confidence and improve the negotiating climate.
Ministers also discussed Syria, North Africa, Burma and Iran. Expressing concerns about the humanitarian situation in Syria, the ministers welcomed a report by Kofi Annan and urged the United Nations Security Council to take urgent action to follow up on the Annan Report, including the immediate approval of an observer mission.
The ministers want the G8 to continue to act to help Middle Eastern and North African countries consolidate the democratic progress and political reforms, along with inclusive economic growth. The ministers said that the G8's work in this connection must include the promotion of respect for human rights and the involvement of women and civil society.
The G8 ministers urged Iran to enter constructive, serious and sustained unconditional dialogue based on reciprocity and a step-by-step approach in order to restore international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.
Welcoming recent positive developments in Burma, the foreign ministers said they wanted to help the country's reform process and urged the government to pursue reform, reconciliation and the release of political prisoners. The G8 ministers said they would be considering an easing of sanctions to help Burma in its reform process, along with full restoration to the international and regional community and the business world. (CG/transl.fl)