Russia, rest of G8 clash on approach to Iran
Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:26pm BST
* G8 statement will condemn Iranian "repression", Italy says
* Russia says election was "an exercise in democracy"
* Delegates want to leave open door to nuclear talks
By Daniel Flynn and Phil Stewart
TRIESTE, Italy, June 25 (Reuters) - Group of Eight powers were divided on how to respond to Iran's disputed election on Thursday, with hosts Italy pushing for a strong condemnation of violence and Russia calling the vote "an exercise in democracy".
Western nations at a meeting of G8 foreign ministers in Trieste were pushing for tough language in a final communique on Iran, where about 20 people have been killed in demonstrations following the June 12 presidential election two weeks ago.
"We are working on a document that should condemn the violence and the repression and at the same time stress that electoral procedures are an (internal) Iranian matter," said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
But he cautioned: "We (the international community) can't recount the vote." The statement is expected on Friday. Delegates to the G8 conference, getting under way with a dinner on Thursday evening, were wrestling over the wording of the statement on Iran to take into account the sensibilities of Moscow, which has already said it considers all issues linked to the election as Iran's internal affair.
Official results handed hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a landslide victory but defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi has said that the vote was rigged.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made clear that Russia was not prepared to sign up to a G8 statement condemning Iran's handling of the election.
"No one is willing to condemn the election process, because it's an exercise in democracy," Lavrov told reporters.
Russia is one of six powers that have been trying to solve a long-running dispute with Iran over its nuclear programme.
Iran says it wants nuclear power to generate electricity but Western powers suspect it of seeking to develop a nuclear bomb.
[more]