In a four-page Final Declaration, the Group of Eight summit countries - the world's seven wealthiest nations and Russia - sought to move past their bitter divisions over the US-led war in Iraq by declaring that they were united in the reconstruction effort.

Delivered by French President Jacques Chirac, the summit host, the statement said the G-8 leaders "share the conviction that the time has now come to build peace and reconstruct Iraq."

"Our shared objective is a fully sovereign, stable and democratic Iraq," the G-8 leaders declared.

The G-8 leaders put Iran and North Korea on notice that they will not stand by and allow them to acquire nuclear weapons, although there were differences between the United States and the other G-8 countries over how far the major powers were willing to go in pressuring Iran.

A senior member of the Russian delegation told reporters Tuesday that Iran "must remove any doubts of its compliance with the (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) by June 16," the next meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors.

On North Korea, the G-8 closing statement said that the leaders supported the efforts being made by countries in the region, including China, to prod North Korea to comply with its past commitments on nuclear non-proliferation.

The statement closely reflected what the Bush administration has sought on both countries. Bush was not at the summit when they were released, however. He left early to meet with Middle East leaders in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt.

The G-8 leaders applauded Bush's new efforts to pursue a "road map" plan to achieve a lasting Middle East peace.

Their statement endorsed including Syria and Lebanon in a "comprehensive peace settlement" for the region and held out the prospect of financial assistance to rebuild the devastated Palestinian economy.

The final statement paper was a continuation of the effort the G-8 leaders launched on Sunday when the summit began to put the bitter divisions over Iraq behind them and show the world they are prepared to work together not only on reconstructing Iraq but a host of other problems.

The leaders sought to reassure worried financial markets that they were ready to work cooperatively to give a boost to the sluggish global economy. The statement talked about the need for countries to pursue structural reforms and improved productivity to boost growth.

"Our economies face many challenges. However, major downside risks have receded and the conditions for a recovery are in place," the final statement declared. "We are confident in the growth potential of our economies."