Post by articels on Jun 8, 2004 23:06:52 GMT -5
Last Updated: Wednesday, 9 June, 2004, 03:17 GMT 04:17 UK
G8 summit leaders hail Iraq vote
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3789241.stm
The summit opened with a gala dinner at the luxury US resort
US President George W Bush has opened the annual Group of Eight (G8) summit, hailing the unanimous passing of a new UN resolution on Iraq hours earlier.
Speaking at the summit venue on Sea Island off Georgia, Mr Bush said the UN Security Council vote was a "great victory for the Iraqi people".
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said the US-UK resolution was "a milestone".
The summit is taking place amid tight security, with thousands of troops and police virtually sealing the island.
MAIN G8 ISSUES
Middle East - Israel / Palestinian conflict and looming Iraq handover are key issues. Bush unveils 'Broader Middle East Initiative'.
Oil prices - Financial markets jittery over fears of new terror attacks and possible disruptions of supply.
Debt relief - Leaders expected to vote to extend debt relief for world's poorest nations.
Global economy - Talks on the state of world economy amid growing recovery after three years of relatively weak performance.
International trade - Discussions on WTO negotiations to remove barriers to international commerce.
US to lead way at talks
UN vote focuses G8 on Iraq
The three-day talks are expected to be dominated by Iraq, democratic reforms in the Middle East and debt relief for poorer nations.
However, the approval of the UN resolution may take Iraq and the Middle East to the centre stage at the summit despite the efforts of other parts of the world, such as Africa, to compete for attention, the BBC's Jill McGivering in Georgia says.
The meeting began with a gala dinner for the leaders of the eight industrialised nations at the luxury Georgia resort.
Iraq's newly appointed interim President Ghazi Yawer is also in Georgia - for what is his first official appearance on the international stage.
Also on the G8 guest list are leaders from Africa who are likely to be offered more generous debt relief.
Security
The authorities have sealed off Sea Island amid fears that the summit could be one of several high-profile events in the country this summer targeted by Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Click here to see a map of the area
Only those with high-level credentials are being allowed into the secluded resort.
Thousands of troops and police officers have been deployed
About five miles (8km) long and two miles (1.3km) wide, the private island can be reached only by a two-lane causeway - or from the Atlantic Ocean.
Concrete barriers, metal fencing and checkpoints have been put in place around key buildings and routes on the mainland and surrounding islands.
Thousands of police officers and National Guard troops are patrolling roads and bridge while military aircraft and gunboats have also been deployed.
Local people in the mainland city of Savannah are relieved that there are unlikely to be large scale anti-globalisation protests this week - an accepted feature of G8 previous summits.
But some have complained about heavy-handedness.
The G8 countries are the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia.
G8 summit leaders hail Iraq vote
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3789241.stm
The summit opened with a gala dinner at the luxury US resort
US President George W Bush has opened the annual Group of Eight (G8) summit, hailing the unanimous passing of a new UN resolution on Iraq hours earlier.
Speaking at the summit venue on Sea Island off Georgia, Mr Bush said the UN Security Council vote was a "great victory for the Iraqi people".
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said the US-UK resolution was "a milestone".
The summit is taking place amid tight security, with thousands of troops and police virtually sealing the island.
MAIN G8 ISSUES
Middle East - Israel / Palestinian conflict and looming Iraq handover are key issues. Bush unveils 'Broader Middle East Initiative'.
Oil prices - Financial markets jittery over fears of new terror attacks and possible disruptions of supply.
Debt relief - Leaders expected to vote to extend debt relief for world's poorest nations.
Global economy - Talks on the state of world economy amid growing recovery after three years of relatively weak performance.
International trade - Discussions on WTO negotiations to remove barriers to international commerce.
US to lead way at talks
UN vote focuses G8 on Iraq
The three-day talks are expected to be dominated by Iraq, democratic reforms in the Middle East and debt relief for poorer nations.
However, the approval of the UN resolution may take Iraq and the Middle East to the centre stage at the summit despite the efforts of other parts of the world, such as Africa, to compete for attention, the BBC's Jill McGivering in Georgia says.
The meeting began with a gala dinner for the leaders of the eight industrialised nations at the luxury Georgia resort.
Iraq's newly appointed interim President Ghazi Yawer is also in Georgia - for what is his first official appearance on the international stage.
Also on the G8 guest list are leaders from Africa who are likely to be offered more generous debt relief.
Security
The authorities have sealed off Sea Island amid fears that the summit could be one of several high-profile events in the country this summer targeted by Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Click here to see a map of the area
Only those with high-level credentials are being allowed into the secluded resort.
Thousands of troops and police officers have been deployed
About five miles (8km) long and two miles (1.3km) wide, the private island can be reached only by a two-lane causeway - or from the Atlantic Ocean.
Concrete barriers, metal fencing and checkpoints have been put in place around key buildings and routes on the mainland and surrounding islands.
Thousands of police officers and National Guard troops are patrolling roads and bridge while military aircraft and gunboats have also been deployed.
Local people in the mainland city of Savannah are relieved that there are unlikely to be large scale anti-globalisation protests this week - an accepted feature of G8 previous summits.
But some have complained about heavy-handedness.
The G8 countries are the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia.