David Cameron: "We all share a vital interest in bringing this conflict to an end"
G8 leaders meeting in Northern Ireland have backed calls for Syrian peace talks to be held in Geneva "as soon as possible".
After adopting a statement, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the leaders had managed "to overcome fundamental differences".
But no timetable for the Geneva talks was given.
The statement does not mention what role Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could play in the future.
Vladimir Putin: "Russia and the US...will be in charge of preparing the underlying principles of the settlement"
Russia is backing President Assad, while the US and its European allies are supporting the rebels.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Kremlin insisted that each of the Syrian sides at the Geneva talks should be able to select their own delegations, sidestepping questions about whether this could leave open a role for Mr Assad.
Analysis
British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke of "maximum diplomatic pressure to get all sides in Syria to the negotiating table as soon as possible".
The test of that will be the extent to which the Russians - themselves under pressure at the G8 - are willing to push the Syrian leadership into exploring the possibilities of a political deal.
That may depend more upon the unfolding conflict on the ground where the government forces and their Hezbollah allies have been doing rather better lately.
Another test will be the extent to which key Western powers can deliver the divided Syrian opposition to the negotiating table.
You could call it a success in the sense that at one point it was not clear if there would be any common language on Syria at all.
In the event the communique is largely a reaffirmation of what was said at the Geneva Conference in June of last year charting the steps needed to move ahead with a political transition.
The price was tougher language on the need for Syrians collectively to destroy and expel al-Qaeda-linked groups - no problem for any of the G8 leaders there - but there was also no explicit reference to alleged war crimes committed by the government forces.
The communique is largely a reaffirmation of what was said at the Geneva Conference in June 2012, reports the BBC's Jonathan Marcus at the summit in Enniskillen.
'Sending signal'The G8 leaders agreed the joint statement on Syria after lengthy discussions at the end their two-day summit.
The seven-point document says that any future transitional government should be "formed by mutual consent".
It stresses that the leaders are united in wanting a negotiated and peaceful end to the conflict that will produce a government "under a top leadership that inspires public confidence."
However, both Russia and the West could interpret such phrasing as their diplomatic success at the summit, correspondents say.
The Kremlin refused to support any statement making Mr Assad's removal from power an explicit goal.
But speaking to reporters after the summit, President Putin said he did not feel "isolated" in Enniskillen despite clashing with other leaders.
At the same time, Mr Cameron pledged at a separate news conference "to learn the lessons from Iraq" by making sure key institutions of the state are maintained through any transition.
The prime minister said it was important to send a signal to the Syrian people that there would be a functioning state once Mr Assad was gone.
This could be seen as encouragement to the Assad supporters perhaps to begin thinking about a future without him, says our correspondent.
G8 facts
- Informal, exclusive body aimed at tackling global challenges
- Established in 1975 in Rambouillet, France
- Original members: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US
- Later members: Canada (joined at 1976 summit, San Juan, Puerto Rico), Russia (joined at 1998 summit, Birmingham, UK)
The joint statement also condemns "any use of chemical weapons in Syria" and urges both Damascus and the rebels at the Geneva conference "to commit to destroying and expelling from Syria all organisations and individuals affiliated to al-Qaeda and any other non-state actors linked to terrorism".
On the humanitarian front, the G8 leaders agreed to provide nearly $1.5bn (£960m) in new funds to help people affected by the raging conflict.
More than 4.25 million people have been displaced since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011.
More than 90,000 people have been killed, according to UN estimates.
In Enniskillen, the leaders also signed a declaration committing themselves to "fight the scourge of tax evasion" and promote free trade.
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