G8 ministers fail to agree on Syria or N Korea

Foreign ministers from the G8 group of rich countries failed to patch up deep divisions over Syria or come up with a plan on North Korea during a meeting in London yesterday.

British foreign secretary William Hague, speaking after the talks, admitted the world had failed to resolve Syria’s two-year-old conflict in which an estimated 70,000 people have been killed.

“The United Nations Security Council has not fulfilled its responsibilities because it is divided. That division continues. Have we solved that division at this meeting? No. We didn’t expect to do so.

“The world has failed so far in its responsibilities and continues to do so.”

North Korea’s threats of war and Iran’s nuclear programme were also high on the agenda but little substance came out of private meetings with members of Syria’s opposition.

They condemned North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons “in the strongest possible terms” but did not come up with any specific steps on how to address the threat.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, foreign ministers from the UK, the US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia, just urged North Korea to “refrain from further provocative acts”.

The talks are laying the foundations for the full G8 summit taking place in the North in June.

On Iran, they expressed concern about the lack of progress in the latest talks at resolving a decade-long nuclear dispute.

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, also addressed the ministers, urging more action to prevent sexual violence against women in conflict zones.

She joined Hague in announcing €27m in additional funding from G8 nations to go towards measures for preventing sexual violence and ensuring justice for its survivors.

For too long, Jolie said, survivors of sexual violence have been “the forgotten victims” of wars in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. “Today, I believe that their voices have been heard.”

It was also revealed yesterday that unmanned surveillance drones will assist an 8,000-strong police force in guarding key sites in the North during this summer’s G8 summit.

In addition to the 4,500 PSNI officers and 3,500 officers from other UK forces who will be providing security at the event, the Gardaí will be deploying its own resources south of the border, senior PSNI officers explained.

The PSNI’s oversight body gave approval for the purchase and use of three remote-controlled aerial camera devices to help commanders overseeing the security operation.

The two-day meeting is being held in the lakeside Lough Erne Golf Resort in Co Fermanagh.