Global Security Newswire

Representatives from the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations convened in Washington last week to consider developments related to the atomic activities of North Korea and Iran as well as international efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, ITAR-Tass reported on Saturday (see GSN, May 31, 2011).

The political directors from the G-8 nations on Thursday and Friday "exchanged views on key nonproliferation issues, including the fulfillment of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the situation around the Iranian nuclear program and settlement of the nuclear problem in the Korean Peninsula," said the Russian Foreign Ministry, which was represented at the meeting by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

"The meeting considered antiterrorist problems, as well as issues connected with information and sea security," the ministry said. Also discussed were developments in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmar (ITAR-Tass, Jan. 21).

The Group of Eight nations is comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia,  the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman represented the United States at the meeting, according to a State Department release (U.S. State Department release, Jan. 19).