Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he accepts Islamic movement Hamas was democratically elected in the Palestinian elections, but the organization must renounce terrorism.

"Hamas has been democratically elected and that fact has to be accepted," Mr Howard told Australian Associated Press Friday.

Hamas swept to victory in Thursday's Palestinian parliamentary elections.

"But Hamas in return has got to accept that you can't simultaneously behave like a democratically elected government and support terrorism," he said.

"And from the Australian government's point of view there will be absolutely no change at all in our total commitment to the preservation of the state of Israel," he added.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also said Hamas needs to renounce violence if it is to engage with other governments.

"If they continue to advocate and promote violence then not only will they be unable to negotiate with the Israelis but they won't have contact with the broader international community," Downer told Sky News.

Source: Xinhua