WHISTLER, BC (voa) – Foreign ministers of the world’s seven leading industrialized nations and Russia have wrapped up a two-day meeting in western Canada, setting the stage for a Group of Eight summit later this month.
Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham hosted the talks Wednesday and Thursday, which were held in at a mountain ski resort in the town of Whistler, British Columbia.
The main purpose of the talks was to set the agenda for the G-8 summit to be held in two weeks in another Canadian mountain resort of Kananaskis, in the western province of Alberta.
Discussions also focused on anti-terrorism cooperation, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and safeguarding the world’s nuclear stockpiles.
The ministers also endorsed holding a Middle East peace conference, said they are ready to work with India and Pakistan to decrease tensions between, pledged political and financial support for Afghanistan and encouraged peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula.
The Group of Eight comprises the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Russia.
