(KYOTO) - Italy's foreign minister said Friday he would propose that the European Union consider pulling out its ambassadors from Zimbabwe after authorities went ahead with a violence-marred election.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, in Japan for a Group of Eight meeting, said he would make the proposal to France, which will take over the rotating European Union presidency on July 1.

"The Italian government is going to submit a proposal to the French presidency of the EU to consider a recall of EU members' ambassadors from Zimbabwe," Frattini told reporters.

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