G-8 leaders meet in Germany but hopes for emissions target dim

 

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 6, Jun 06, 2007 -- Kyodo

Leaders of the Group of Eight nations kicked off a three-day summit at the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm in Germany on Wednesday to try to narrow their differences over creating a new international framework to fight global warming and to discuss African development, the world economy and energy security issues.

Amid demonstrations by thousands of anti-globalization protesters who blocked roads to the summit site and clashed with police, the leaders gathered at a dinner hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel before official working sessions begin Thursday. A number of bilateral talks were also held on the sidelines earlier in the day.

But the latest spat between Russia and the United States over Washington's plans to locate part of its missile defense system in Central Europe, as well as Moscow's strained relations with Europe over Kosovo, energy and other issues, could make the already rough path in negotiations on climate change even rockier.

Host nation Germany wants to forge a deal at the summit on halving greenhouse gases by 2050 to tackle global warming, but is facing strong opposition from the United States -- the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide which has refused to ratify the 1997 Kyoto Protocol that stipulates reduction targets for developed nations.

While U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday signaled a "strong desire" to work with Merkel on the new global pact, his environmental adviser James Connaughton made it clear earlier the same day that Washington cannot agree to the long-term targets and said any agreement should involve all major emitters including China and India.

Ahead of the dinner, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, making his debut at a G-8 summit, met bilaterally with Bush shortly after arriving in Heiligendamm in the afternoon. He also held talks with new French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Abe and Bush agreed that the G-8 leaders need to send a strong message to North Korea to act on its denuclearization pledge and resolve past abductions of Japanese and other nationals, among other issues.

Abe told reporters after the meeting that he and Bush also agreed that Japan and the United States will work together on establishing a new, effective framework to tackle climate change.

Meanwhile, Abe and Sarkozy, meeting for the first time since the French president took office last month, reaffirmed close cooperation in tackling international concerns, including the North Korean and Iranian nuclear standoffs, a Japanese official said.

Abe also reiterated Japan's opposition to any easing of the European Union's ban on arms exports to China. Sarkozy only responded by saying it was "important to hear Japan's stance," but stopped short of further elaboration, according to the official.

When working sessions begin Thursday morning, the leaders are expected to discuss efforts to fight climate change, tackle foreign policy issues and security concerns such as the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs, and help Africa promote economic growth and improve health systems.

But bilateral talks on the sidelines between Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who recently exchanged a war of words over the missile defense issue, set for Thursday afternoon is expected to grab the spotlight.

Europe is also upset by the Kremlin's threat to retarget Russian missiles at the continent as a retaliatory step for the U.S. missile defense plans in Poland and the Czech Republic.

On Friday, the leaders will hold outreach dialogues with leaders of African nations and five emerging economies -- Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa -- before wrapping up the summit with the chair's summary.

They are also expected to issue separate declarations on "Growth and Responsibility" in the world economy and Africa, as well as documents on nuclear nonproliferation and antiterrorism measures.

Abe will hold separate talks with Putin on Thursday, and with Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, respectively, the following day, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said.

Thousands of protesters against the summit gathered near the barbed-wire-topped fence surrounding the site in Heiligendamm and police responded to stone-throwing demonstrators with water cannons, local reports said.

The protesters also blocked roads and interrupted local tram services, forcing Abe's wife Akie to call off a visit in the afternoon to Kuhlungsborn, a city near Heiligendamm, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

Nearly 1,000 people were injured in clashes Saturday between protesters and the police in nearby Rostock.

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