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Tough agenda for G-8 chiefs
Climate change and aid to Africa are top issues for leaders of industrialized nations.
from the June 7, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
Personality could overshadow issues
But the issues may be upstaged by personalities, particularly Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who has been sparring with Bush about US plans to build a missile defense shield in Central and Eastern Europe and raising hackles among other G-8 leaders. Earlier this week, he threatened to target Europe with nuclear weapons unless Bush backs down.
Meanwhile, there are a number of new faces at the table at this year's summit, including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, and Britain's prime-minister-elect Gordon Brown.
The shifting lineup is likely to shift the tone of the debate.
"A new generation of leaders are coming to power who are young, centrist and skilled at strategic calculating and they know they'll have to work together for another four to five years," says John Kirton, director of the G-8 Research Group, a global of network of scholars. "This bodes well for their ability to build consensus."
It also bodes well for collaboration with the US. Both Mr. Sarkozy and Merkel are friendlier with Bush than their predecessors, who split with him over the Iraq war.
Merkel, in particular, has worked hard to mend fraying US-German ties.
Many observers see the link between the two as vital to the summit's success. "Their relationship is the pivot point, not just on climate change, but on global fund-raiser for Africa, in trying to get Russia on board with Kosovo, and in resolving the row over missile defense," says Mr. Kirton.
Meanwhile, new economic powers – among them Brazil, China, India, South Africa, and Mexico – who were previously invited by the host on an ad-hoc basis are being given a more permanent place at the table. Representatives from these countries have been invited to attend the ministerial planning sessions where government representatives hammer out agreements.
Their inclusion is a sign of how much the world has changed since the original G6 – US, France, Germany Japan, Britain, and Italy – first gathered in 1975 to align their economic policies.
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