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Chaotic start to Berlusconi's G8 summit
08.07.09
The G8 summit got off to a chaotic start today with its host Silvio Berlusconi being accused of failing to fulfil his pledges on overseas aid.
The fears of an earthquake, the departure of Chinese president Hu Jintao and the absence of French First Lady Carla Bruni all overshadowed the beginning of the three-day meeting.
Gordon Brown wants to use the summit, held in the earthquake-hit town of L'Aquila in Italy, to get leaders to publish timetables setting out whether they are meeting their commitments to double aid to Africa by next year.
The pledge, which was made at the Gleneagles summit four years ago, has still not been set in motion by many nations. Italy is the biggest culprit and this week Bob Geldof lambasted Mr Berlusconi over his plans to cut his overseas budget.
Adrian Lovett, from charity Save the Children, pointed out that Italy will cut aid by 10 per cent on top of a 56 per cent reduction last year. “It's a disgrace. Coming from the host of the G8, this raises serious questions about the credibility of the summit,” he said.
Mr Brown will also call for action to reduce oil price volatility, warning that the global economy is not returning to better health as quickly as some had thought.
Preparations for the G8 have been described as “chaotic” by diplomats and President Barack Obama is expected to have to lead most discussions to hammer out agreements on the biggest issues.
Mr Hu decided to abandon the summit hours before it began, flying back to Beijing amid continuing unrest in China's western province of Xinjiang. Mr Berlusconi shifted the summit from Sardinia to L'Aquila in a show of solidarity with the town after 300 people died and 50,000 were forced to flee their homes in an earthquake in April.
It emerged today the G8 organisers have drafted an emergency evacuation plan that involves flying leaders out by helicopter. The region has continued to suffer aftershocks, including one of magnitude 4.1 last week.
Although the G8 has no official figures, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that the rich nations' club will fall $23 billion (£14 billion) short of its pledge to raise aid by $50 billion (£31 billion) by next year.
The leaders' agenda also includes the global financial crisis, food security, climate change and Iran.
The first item for discussion today was the global financial crisis and how economic stimulus packages are used to defy the credit crunch. Mr Brown wants to see progress on the £682 billion stimulus agreed at the London summit in April, but he aims to get a £9 billion food security package to developing countries.
He is also keen to ensure that global temperatures do not rise by more than two degrees centigrade.
Yesterday, police in Rome arrested 36 people after masked protesters blocked roads and set fire to tyres.
Reader views (13)
I don't understand where English newspapers find the courage to find fault with Berlusconi why con't they just concentrate on Brown and what has happened to the English Society under the labour governments. The Berlusconi government has worked well and I think the idea of holding the G8 in Aquilla was brilliant,can you all imagine the most protected men on earth squirming with fear at the slightest movement under their feet
- Linda, italy
Why are we throwing yet more money at Africa? We all know what creates wealth: the rule of law; an absence of corruption; free enterprise; open markets; and a secular education system. Africa too often fails on all of these. Yet more of our money won't put that right: and could easily make it worse.
- Alan, London
Yes, but. Our Prime Minister is going to lecture them on economics. They'll no doubt be overwhelmed by his generosity of spirit and his all-embracing knowledge of the subject. Berlu will give up his birds, Sarko his snappiness, Angela her angst and Barack will reel back in joy from being Brown's buddy. Let us have more G8s. And a summit of the RINKZ Group also - Russia, Iran, North Korea, Zimbabwe - to which Gordon has been invited, one hears, to lecture them too. On enlightened democracy....
- John Problem, Hackney UK
I find it incredible that we have eight world leaders here discussing how best to run the world,when they are incapable of running their own countries properly.
This (Ghastly 8)meeting is costing the tax payer 10s of millions of Euros and for what?
- David Nigel Braham, Milan Italy
Berlusconi should be praised for putting his own country (and own taxpayers) ahead of yet more wasted third world aid. We should follow suit - we've had 50 years of giving and giving to these countries that simply respond by putting more idiots in power (such as Mugabe), growing their populations unsustainably and wasting the aid money. Charity begins at home.
- H Morgan, London
Brown has become the archtypical con artist, spending on behalf of the tax payers in this country knowing he will not have to keep any of the promises made as he will long be gone when the bill is received!
- Tony Johnson, Hythe UK
Why should this Aid still be given, just a form of corruption does not go to the intended recipients - ever.
- William, Hay~Heath UK
"Mr Brown ....
is also keen to ensure that global temperatures do not rise by more than two degrees centigrade"
...I didn't realise that someone who can't control either his Cabinet or his own backbenchers possessed such God-like powers.
- Kate, London
It is funny to compare Brown and Berlusconi. So different, yet both impossible to believe.
- Alex C, London
Why does Gordon Brown go accross to all other countries when we are in a terrible state here in the UK.
Does he just enjoy travel and leave us all aside and now the passports are being increased just to rip us off for more money.
Why did he take our money and give it to the Banks and let them give it to their staff just taking our money
Barclays Bank lost £24 million and yet the top executive decided to take £700,000 in annual pensions which has now been reduced
WE need to manage the UK as we are now the worst in Europe
- Brian Challis, Southend-on-Sea, UK
Why is he going? I thought it was a 'leaders' summit?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Lame duck Prime Minister Gordon Brown will not be taken seriously, as he will not be around in a years time.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
any chance he could just stay over there?
- Ben, London, UK
