The Latest: G-7 ministers make mildly worded commitments

Their statement cited fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger post-conflict roles in maintaining peace, and engaging with countries in Africa’s troubled Sahel region to combat drug and migrant trafficking.

A European Union official had expressed “regret” the diplomats’ joint statement contained what she considered to be several glaring omissions, including “no reference to a two-state solution” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and “no mention” of the U.N. Security Council’s resolution in favour of the Iran nuclear deal.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not allowed to speak to press ahead of the document’s formal announcement.

The G-7 countries are the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K.

—By Thomas Adamson

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11:55 a.m.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies are wrapping up a two-day meeting in the French seaside resort of Dinard where they hope to seal joint commitments on a range of global challenges and lay the groundwork for August’s G-7 summit in Biarritz.

Diplomats from G-7 countries — which includes the U.S., France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. — want a joint statement by Saturday on the fight against trafficking drugs, arms and migrants in Africa’s troubled Sahel region, fighting cybercrime and stopping sexual violence against women in conflict zones, especially in Africa.

But U.S. officials said that points of discord will also be discussed. Washington seems to be at odds with Italy over its stance on Venezuela and China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.

The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

The Latest: G-7 ministers make mildly worded commitments

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