G-8 Condemns Iran's "Post-Electoral Violence" And Ahmadenijad's Holocaust Denial, Yet Supports Negotiation And Stops Short Of Sanctions

The AP reports that "Group of Eight leaders said Wednesday that they deplored the violence in the aftermath of Iran's disputed election last month, but added they remained committed to seeking a diplomatic solution to Iran's contentious nuclear program.French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the statement on Tehran by G-8 leaders 'shows the unity of the G-8 against the situation in Iran.' But the leaders stopped short of calling for new sanctions or tougher action." Nonetheless, the "U.S. portrayed the statement as aggressive, even though the leaders took a weaker, compromise approach that specified no potential action against Iran for its post-election crackdown... The statement said G-8 leaders 'deplore post-electoral violence, which led to the loss of lives of Iranian civilians.' They also 'condemn the declarations of President Ahmadinejad denying the Holocaust.' G-8 leaders said they welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama's willingness to engage in direct talks with Tehran. 'We sincerely hope that Iran will seize this opportunity to give diplomacy a chance to find a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue,' the statement said."

Obama's undersecretary of state for political affairs, William Burns, said the agreed-upon language is "a strong statement and it reflects a real sense of urgency."
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