Germany Prepares to Host G8 Meeting - VOA Story

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set Wednesday to host the annual summit of the G8 leading industrial democracies plus Russia. However, a recent sharp deterioration in western relations with Moscow is casting a chill over the meeting that will take place at a Baltic Sea resort in eastern Germany.

What a difference a year makes. Only 11 months ago Vladimir Putin proudly hosted the G8 leaders in St. Petersburg. It was an historic first for Russia which became a member of the summit club in 1997. Other members are the United States, Japan, Canada and four west European powers (Britain, France, Germany and Italy).

Enriched by oil and gas, a newly assertive Russia has clamped down on dissent at home and is at odds with the West over Iran, Kosovo and missile defense.

There are two new G8 leaders, Japan's Shinzo Abe and the new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Chancellor Merkel wants this year's G8 meeting to yield action on eliminating greenhouse gases and boosting aid to Africa. Democrats, who now control both houses of Congress, favor action against global warming.

Colin Bradford of Brookings says the G8 climate talks are taking on added importance because five additional countries are taking part.

"This will be a G8 plus five discussion on climate change that will include China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa," said Bradford. "The heads from those five countries will be for the first time involved fully in the substantive discussions on climate change."

Bradford and others would like to see the G8 expand to become a more representative global group. That is unlikely anytime soon as the G8 is still having trouble absorbing its newest member, Russia.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• G8
• summit
• germany
• baltic
• russia
• moscow
• Merkel

[12valvepower1]

george bush makes beer, dont you know that.. busch beer

[Vin4enco]

Democracy, you mean like in IRAQ right now?? thats your democrasy???

[larsen2803]

this is a good story about a dog: einst ein kleiner Hund. machte einen Spaziergang und schauend, als er einen grossen Mann sah, sagte er, daß „hallo kleiner Hund, wie du" das Hunddidnt heute tuend weg am nächsten Tag den Hund beantwortetest und laufen ließest, trapt war, das der Mann schlecht war, aber der Hund entging und aß den Mann, jetzt er nach Hause zu seiner Mamma laufen ließ und besagtes „sein gewesen langer Tag ich gehe zu schlafen" zunächst, ist das selbe....! DAS ENDE

[Sergionewyork]

Russia is there just because of its powerful weapons ..... otherwise .....

[klemaks]

Democrasy...an American way...with Busch & Co....Hah.hahaaahh and David has no democrasy at all..just look at him...who is he? an idiotic type of democrasy for him...pedigree...of what?