(RTTNews) - The G8 Foreign Ministers gathered in Trieste, Italy addressed a number of issues threatening global stability Friday, including a condemnation of the Iranian government for post-election violence in the streets of Tehran.

Noting the the current economic situation, food crisis, lack of energy security and climate change have proven that the world is as interconnected as ever, the group of the eight largest industrialized nations said it would stand together as one in countering old and new threats to peace and fostering effective international cooperation.

On Afghanistan and Pakistan, which were to be the primary focus of the conference, the G8 said
it remains firmly committed to supporting the democratically elected governments in those nations, assuring that the G8 will help strengthen institutional capacity and increase the effectiveness of government.

Regarding violence in Iran, the G8 urged Iran to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, in the wake of protests following the controversial re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad..

"We deplore post-electoral violence which led to the loss of lives of Iranian civilians," said the G8 in a draft statement.

The leading industrialized countries also insisted that the crisis should be settled through "democratic dialogue and peaceful means," but stopped short of criticizing the election process in Iran.

"We call on the Iranian government to guarantee that the will of the Iranian people is reflected in the electoral process," the statement said.

The G8 also reiterated its support for the two-state solution, calling for "the establishment of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian state living in peace with Israel."