(dpa) - Group of Eight (G8) member nations issued a statement Thursday expressing concern over Zimbabwe's presidential election and urging the southern African nation to resolve rising tensions.
As a G8 summit host, Japan represented foreign ministers of the eight nations and issued a statement saying that the member states are deeply concerned over the presidential election results that have been withheld by the election commission in Zimbabwe.
The foreign ministers in their statement also "urge a speedy, credible and genuinely democratic resolution to this situation in accordance with the wishes of the Zimbabwean people."
The statement also called on the Zimbabwe government to verify the vote in the presence of all candidates but emphasized that "violence and intimidation must have no place in this process."
The Zimbabwe elections commission has refused to release results of March 29 presidential vote but instead has called for a recount.
President Robert Mugabe has called for a run-off vote, while opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai claims he has won - a claim supported by election observers and nongovernmental organizations.