Group of Eight (G8) foreign ministers agreed today to back, in principle, the use of international monitors to oversee the Middle East peace process, a European diplomatic source said.
A statement agreed by the ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia and the United States said: "We believe that in these circumstances third party monitoring accepted by both parties would serve their interests in implementing the Mitchell report," the source said.
The statement marks the first time the United States has accepted the principle of international monitors, which is fiercely opposed by the Israeli government.
The Middle East topped the agenda of the G8 agenda today after Israel beefed up its army presence in the West Bank.
After a week of violence in the Middle East, the fear of more instability led foreign ministers gathered for the G8 Summit in Italy to move the issue into the spotlight.
US Senator George Mitchell had headed a team that drew up a truce to end almost 10 months of fighting and ultimately revive peace talks that stalled just before the Palestinian revolt began.
But violence has spiralled since a Palestinian suicide bombing on Monday killed two soldiers outside a train station in northern Israel.
More than 600 people have been killed in the fighting since a Palestinian revolt erupted in September - at least 39 of them since the truce was brokered on June 13th.
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AFP