The United Nations, the European Union (EU), the United States and Russia on Thursday urged the military group Hamas, winner of the Palestinian parliamentary elections, to renounce violence.
The four powers, know as the "quartet" seeking Middle East peace, issued a statement after a conference call of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
In the statement, the quartet hailed the election which gave Hamas a crushing victory as "free, fair and secure," and called on all parties to respect the results of the election.
"The Palestinian people have voted for change, but it is the view of the quartet that their aspirations for peace and statehood ... remain unchanged," the quartet said.
Without naming Hamas, the quartet reiterated their view "that there is a fundamental contradiction between armed group and militia activities and the building of a democratic state."
"A two-state solution to the conflict requires all participants in the democratic process to renounce violence and terror, accept Israel's right to exist, and disarm, as outlined in the roadmap," it said.
The quartet held its conference call ahead of a meeting Monday in London to plan its strategy after Hamas won 76 seats of the 132-member legislative council in Wednesday's Palestinian parliamentary elections.