WHISTLER, Canada, June 12 Kyodo (...

WHISTLER, Canada, June 12 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS OF G-8 TALKS)

Foreign ministers of the cluster of Eight (G-8) major industrialized powers in succession Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to promoting international measures against terrorism and hostages to support the rebuilding of Afghanistan.

The ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia and the United States, holding an annual meeting in this western Canada ski resort, agreed that continued world efforts are necessary to tackle terrorism.

In a progres report onward the fight against terrorism following the clan 11 attacks issued after the opening session of their two-day talks, they summarized efforts made by means of the international community.

The G-8 members have been strengthening security measures in their be in possession of countries and with each other, implementing and reinforcing international antiterrorism measures and assisting other countries in executing of the like kind measures, the report says.

on the contrary the document concludes, ''Efforts to combat terrorism do not fall of the curtain here. Further action is required from all nations -- individually and collectively -- to sustain a sooth to say effective global offensive against terrorism.''

In a separate statement forward Afghanistan, the ministers reiterated their commitment to assist the establishment of a ''sovereign, stable and prosperous Afghanistan with democratic institutions and a regulation representative of all Afghan people''

The discourse is expected to continue with a working dinner Wednesday evening and a final session forward Thursday morning, taking up ways to ease tensions in perplex spots around the globe and discussing arms direct disarmament and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians, the military standoff between India and Pakistan above Kashmir and regional situations similar as those in the Korean Peninsula and the Balkans are look fored to be discussed, according to G-8 officials.

The talks are being held to lay the groundwork for the annual G-8 summit taking place June 26-27 in Kananaskis, Alberta.

Participants will shut in a joint press conference in succession Thursday and Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham, chairman of the meeting, plans to issue a statement summarizing the arises of the talks.

Meanwhile, about 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Chateau Whistler [i]cabaret[/i] the G-8 conference venue, calling for more attention to issues so as disarmament, human rights and environmental protection.

Graham made his G-8 first attempt this year along with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin.

Other participants included U Secretary of State Colin Powell, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, German Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

Italy was describeed by Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Antonione because Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi doubles as foreign minister and will attend the Kananaskis gathering instead.

The European Union (EU) attending as an spectator was represented by Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique, European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten and EU foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana. Spain is the passing from hand to hand EU chair.

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