G-8 Leaders Ring In On Mideast

Ask For Israeli Restraint, End To Hezbollah's Attacks, Freedom For Captured Israelis

(CBS/AP) 
In their statement, the leaders expressed "deepening concern about the situation in the Middle East, in particular the rising civilian casualties on all sides and the damage to infrastructure." At least 130 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Lebanon, while about a dozen Israeli civilians have lost their lives.

Merkel, speaking to reporters, said: "We do not want to let terrorist forces and those who support them have the opportunity to create chaos in the Middle East. Therefore we place value on clearly identifying the cause and effect of events."

She said the leaders believe that "first of all, that the Israeli soldiers must be returned unharmed, that the attacks on Israel must stop and that then, of course, also the Israeli military action must be ended."

Merkel also said they are "convinced that the government of Lebanon must be given all support and that the relevant U.N. resolutions regarding the south of Lebanon must also be implemented, and we also demand that in addition to the U.N. activities, another observation and security mission is established. That must be worked out through the U.N."

The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1559 in September 2004, calling for the disarmament of all militias and strict respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence. Hezbollah, which operates in southern Lebanon, has refused to disarm, saying it is a resistance movement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to be more in line with European leaders who have condemned Israel's attacks as excessive. Putin has said it was unacceptable for Hezbollah to take hostages and shell others' territory, but also for Israel to use massive force in response.

"It is our impression that aside from seeking to return the abducted soldiers, Israel is pursuing wider goals," Putin said. He did not elaborate.

Putin had molded this year's G-8 summit, the first hosted by his country, to showcase Russia's re-emergence on the world stage after a devastating economic collapse in 1998.

However, he failed to win a much-anticipated agreement with the United States on Russia's admission to the World Trade Organization, the 149-nation group that sets the rules for world trade. The United States is the only country that has not signed off on Russia's membership in the WTO, and Mr. Bush dashed Putin's hopes for getting in now.