The Group of Eight rich nations today condemned North Korea for an attack that sank a South Korean naval ship and called on Iran's leaders to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression.
In a draft communiqué seen by Reuters at the summit in Huntsville, north of Toronto, the G8 also asked Afghanistan's government to be ready by a July conference in Kabul to demonstrate to its allies tangible progress that it is taking on greater security responsibility, key to US plans to begin drawing down troops in mid-2011.
The G8 called on Burma's military rulers to quickly release all political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate who has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention.
The G8 voiced support for South Korea, which is pushing for a UN security council resolution against North Korea over the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan that killed 46 sailors in March.
"We deplore the attack on March 26th that caused the sinking of the Republic of Korea's naval vessel, the Cheonan, resulting in tragic loss of 46 lives. Such an incident is a challenge to peace and security in the region and beyond," the draft document said.
The incident heightened tensions on the divided Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang denying any involvement and saying South Korea fabricated the incident.
China, North Korea's main backer and a permanent member of the Security Council, has not said who it thinks was responsible.
On Iran, the G8 repeated calls made at its summit last year for Tehran's leaders to respect the rule of law amid a crackdown on opposition supporters that began when government forces crushed 2009 post-election street protests. "We expect the government of Iran to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression as outlined in the international parties to which Iran is a party," the document said.
Major members of the G8 led by the United States this month pushed through new UN sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program, which Western nations fear is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes.
The G8 leaders' draft communiqué said next month's conference in Kabul would be an "important opportunity" for Afghan president Hamid Karzai to show he is making good on pledges to improve governance and security at a pivotal moment in the nearly nine-year-old war in Afghanistan.
The G8 hopes Mr Karzai will be able to present detailed plans and show tangible progress on reinforcing the justice system and taking increased responsibility for security within five years - both steps seen as essential for an eventual withdrawal of the US-led multinational security force.
The G8 meeting came amid new doubts about the US-led war in Afghanistan following US president Barack Obama's decision last week to sack his Afghanistan commander, General Stanley McChrystal, over inflammatory comments he made that angered the White House.
The G8 added that it "deeply regretted" the loss of life that occurred when Israeli commandos raided an aid flotilla off Gaza in May, killing killed nine pro-Palestinian activists, and welcomed Israel's decision to set up an independent public commission to investigate the events.
The G8 welcomed Israel's decision to relax certain elements of its blockade on Hamas-controlled Gaza, saying "current arrangements are not sustainable and must be changed."