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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Italy urges G8 firmness on Iran | Italy urges G8 firmness on Iran |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Italy's foreign minister has said G8 countries will adopt a "tough" stance towards Iran over post-election unrest. | Italy's foreign minister has said G8 countries will adopt a "tough" stance towards Iran over post-election unrest. |
| Franco Frattini was speaking as G8 foreign minsters prepared to meet for three days of talks in northern Italy. | Franco Frattini was speaking as G8 foreign minsters prepared to meet for three days of talks in northern Italy. |
| He said the international community had offered an "open hand" to Iran and G8 must now "be firm in its condemnation", Italy's Ansa news agency reported. | He said the international community had offered an "open hand" to Iran and G8 must now "be firm in its condemnation", Italy's Ansa news agency reported. |
| Iran was invited to the talks, which had been due to focus on Afghanistan, but Italy later revoked the offer. | |
| Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki withdrew at the last minute after Italy made it clear he was not welcome. | |
| Earlier this week he said he had "no plans to travel to Italy". | |
| Mr Frattini said Iran was "at a turning point" following the post-election street clashes, in which at least 17 people have been killed. | Mr Frattini said Iran was "at a turning point" following the post-election street clashes, in which at least 17 people have been killed. |
| ''It must choose whether or not to keep the door open to dialogue with the international community," he said. | ''It must choose whether or not to keep the door open to dialogue with the international community," he said. |
| "The hand extended by the United States, which we have supported, cannot come back with blood on it. | "The hand extended by the United States, which we have supported, cannot come back with blood on it. |
| ''We will adopt a particularly tough and clear position." | ''We will adopt a particularly tough and clear position." |
| French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said a draft statement would be examined by ministers at a working dinner on Thursday evening, but there was not yet full agreement on its content. | |
| "Not everyone is in favour of condemnation, but we do need a firm statement in Trieste. We will do this," he told reporters in Paris before leaving for Italy. | |
| 'Future engagement' | 'Future engagement' |
| At least 25 people are thought to have died in post-election violence | At least 25 people are thought to have died in post-election violence |
| The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome says a consensus appears to be forming that a strong and united international response is needed on Iran, but it remains to be seen whether Russia and China would support such a move. | |
| The three-day G8 Trieste summit is expected to address global security, nuclear non-proliferation, piracy and combating extremist violence. | The three-day G8 Trieste summit is expected to address global security, nuclear non-proliferation, piracy and combating extremist violence. |
| Its primary focus was intended to be the stabilisation of Afghanistan so Iran, as a neighbouring country, had been invited to attend. | Its primary focus was intended to be the stabilisation of Afghanistan so Iran, as a neighbouring country, had been invited to attend. |
| But the recent unrest in Iran, which is thought to have left at least 25 people dead, has changed the agenda of the talks. | |
| Tehran, which will not attend the summit, says the protests are illegal and the election result is accurate. | Tehran, which will not attend the summit, says the protests are illegal and the election result is accurate. |
| The talks would have offered a rare chance for G8 ministers to meet senior Iranian diplomats to discuss the country's controversial nuclear programme, says our correspondent. | The talks would have offered a rare chance for G8 ministers to meet senior Iranian diplomats to discuss the country's controversial nuclear programme, says our correspondent. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Frattini met Iran's charge d'affaires in Rome to discuss Mr Mottaki's absence from the talks, the AFP news agency quoted a ministry statement as saying. | On Wednesday, Mr Frattini met Iran's charge d'affaires in Rome to discuss Mr Mottaki's absence from the talks, the AFP news agency quoted a ministry statement as saying. |
| Rome said it hoped that "in the future Iran will be able to engage in a profitable way in the process of regional stabilisation in Afghanistan". | Rome said it hoped that "in the future Iran will be able to engage in a profitable way in the process of regional stabilisation in Afghanistan". |