20 November 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Source: Reuters News

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Group of Eight major industrialized countries should be doubled to include Brazil, China and India and other nations to better tackle global challenges like climate change and economic stability, a blue chip panel said on Thursday.

The panel, which included European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, argued that the G8 has become “outdated.” (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Other, Development, Climate Change

2 October 2008
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• Source: Morning Star Online

GERMAN prosecutors dropped investigations of anti-capitalist activists on Thursday which were launched during massive police raids before last year’s G8 summit in Heiligendamm.
(more…)

Filed by Marina Garbutt under Other

18 September 2008
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• Source: Jiji Press English News Service

okyo, Sept. 18 (Jiji Press)–A meeting of Group of Eight foreign ministers, held alongside the opening of a U.N. General Assembly session in New York every year, is seen to be canceled this year, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said Thursday.

The prospect came as the United States and European nations are still at odds with Russia over the recent Georgian conflict, the official said. The United States is reluctant to sit down with Russia, the official added.

In addition, Japan, the current G-8 chair, may have difficulties sending its foreign minister due to the tight political schedule. A new cabinet is set to be formed shortly by the country’s next prime minister, who will be elected next week.

The G-8 countries are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Other

4 September 2008
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• Source: The Japan Times

Japan and the rest of the world have seen two Japanese prime ministers in a row suddenly throw in the towel without giving convincing reasons for doing so. Mr. Shinzo Abe announced his resignation Sept. 12, 2007, and Mr. Yasuo Fukuda on Sept. 1. The manner in which the two prime ministers decided to step down after less than a year in power was most unusual and irresponsible. It is unavoidable for people to get the impression that politicians these days make light of the duties and position of prime minister and to develop a distrust of politics in general. Despite differences in their political ideology and orientation, both Mr. Abe and Mr. Fukuda had one thing in common: Both lacked a mandate based on victories in general elections. They had merely inherited the big victory from former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in the September 2005 general elections, fought on the single issue of privatizing the nation’s postal service. (more…)

Filed by Ozlem Yucel under Other

3 September 2008
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• Source: Economist Intelligence Unit - ViewsWire

COUNTRY VIEW - FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT

OUTLOOK FOR 2008-09

The next general election, whether early or as scheduled in 2009, is likely to produce another victory for the Conservatives, although again without a majority. (more…)

Filed by Ozlem Yucel under Other

28 August 2008
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• Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News

Four protesters sentenced over riots at the G20 summit in Melbourne in November 2006, have had their sentences reduced on appeal.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other

20 August 2008
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• Source: WPS: What the Papers Say

Before Russia joined the club, the G7 was made up of Britain, the USA, Canada, Italy, Germany, France, and Japan. The leaders of these nations still meet in their G7 format to discuss global financial matters; all other economic, political, and environmental issues are discussed with Russia. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other, East-West Relations and Russia

20 August 2008
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• Author: George Will
• Source: The Knoxville News Sentinel

Last August, John McCain’s campaign was out of money but flush with half-baked ideas that were unlikely to be improved by further baking. Anyway, to have many ideas is to have too many for a campaign’s concluding sprint, and McCain’s revival has not been robust enough to bring him even with Barack Obama. Now McCain’s rejuvenated hopes rest on his ability to recast this election, focusing it on who should lead America in a world suddenly darkened by Russia’s war of European conquest. To begin the recasting, he should weed from the unkempt garden of his political thinking the populism which often seems like mere attitudinizing redeemed by insincerity.Furthermore, his populism subverts his strength — the perception that although he is an acquired taste, he is serious. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other, East-West Relations and Russia, Conflict Prevention and Human Security, Democratization and Human Rights

13 August 2008
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• Author: Tony Harris, Heidi Collins, Zain Verjee, Kate Bolduan, Barbara Starr, Frederik Pleitgen, Josh Levs, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Rob Marciano, Tom Foreman, John Vause, Susan Lisovicz
• Source: CNN: CNN Newsroom

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Days of war, hours of peace. Right now, growing fears a cease-fire between Russia and Georgia may be more fragile than ever. President Bush will address the situation just minutes from right now. But first, let’s set the stage for you. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other, East-West Relations and Russia, Conflict Prevention and Human Security

7 August 2008
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• Author: Sheila Mathrani
• Source: The Economic Times

GENEVA: The usual blame game continues over the collapse of the WTO mini-ministerial. The US is blaming India and China, particularly India, for adopting a rigid stance on special safeguard mechanisms (SSM) and the developing countries accusing the US for refusing to budge from its stance on agricultural subsidies, SSM, special products and Nama, among others.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Multilateral Trade

7 August 2008
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• Author: John Spears
• Source: Toronto Star

Chin up, Toronto. The website of U.S. business magazine Forbes has ranked Toronto as the world’s 10th most economically powerful city.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Investment and Competition Policy, Development

6 August 2008
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• Author: Yoshihiro Ozaki, Yoshihiro Ozaki
• Source: Kyodo News

It is back to business as usual for residents of the Lake Toya area in Hokkaido where leaders of the Group of Eight nations met last month but they hope the summit-related hoopla will boost sales of souvenirs and bring in more tourists. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other

6 August 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Source: Korea Newswire

The following is the full text of a joint statement released after the summit between Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush in Seoul on Aug. 6. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other, Multilateral Trade, Energy and Nuclear Safety, Regional Security

2 August 2008
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• Author: Kazuo Ogoura
• Source: The Japan Times

The Toyako, Hokkaido, summit witnessed moves to expand the Group of Eight forum of leading industrial nations through the addition of China, India and other new members. In a sense, of course, the G-8 has already expanded, as seen in the meetings with African leaders and the gathering of major greenhouse gas emitters, including China and India, held alongside the summit. Whether the issue is CO2 emissions, Africa or international finance, there is a growing chorus of voices insisting that no effective measures can be taken to address global issues unless international action includes China and India, as well as the countries of Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Some have called for the G-8 to be turned into a G-13. Among some American intellectuals, meanwhile, there have recently been murmurings about a “G-3.'’ This concept envisages the United States and China teaming up with the European Union to build a new global trade and economic order. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Other

31 July 2008
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• Author: Amiti Sen
• Source: The Economic Times, The Economic Times

GENEVA: Despite cracks appearing in the unity of the formidable G-20 farm alliance of developing countries at the WTO mini-ministerial, Brazil and India - the key players in the group - seem keen on burying the past. Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim said the group was intact and would continue working together, even on the critical issue of special safeguard measures (SSMs) for developing countries which lead to the break-down in talks. Indian commerce minister Kamal Nath, too, said there were no problems in the general approach of the G-20 towards the SSMs.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Development

31 July 2008
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• Author: Liu Junhong
• Source: China Daily

Fortune magazine of the US recently published its list of the 500 biggest companies in the world in terms of market value. The latest Fortune 500 reflected three prominent changes in the political and economic structure of our world, namely the so-called natural resources nationalism, the crackling of the US-led global financial system and the rise of emerging economies.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Global Financial Crises, The Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Nuclear Safety

31 July 2008
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• Author: Harumi Ozawa
• Source: Agence France Presse

Japan’s embattled Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is set to reshuffle his cabinet on Friday in a bid to revive sagging approval ratings by bringing in new faces, reports said.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other

29 July 2008
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• Source: Xinhua News Agency

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and U.S. President George W. Bush met at the White House on Tuesday, agreeing to push forward with the constructive and cooperative relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, Yang hailed the great development that two countries have achieved in the past seven years in enhancing China- U.S. relations, which he said also contributed to the peace, stability and development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world. (more…)

Filed by Ozlem Yucel under Other, East-West Relations and Russia

29 July 2008
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• Author: Michael Geist
• Source: Ottawa Citizen

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the leaders of G8 countries closed their recent summit in Hokkaido, Japan, by encouraging “the acceleration of negotiations to establish a new international legal framework, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), and seek to complete the negotiation by the end of this year.” The decision to fast-track the controversial ACTA has led to new momentum for the still-secret treaty as the Australian government recently disclosed that a new round of negotiations will commence this week. (more…)

Filed by Ozlem Yucel under Other

24 July 2008
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• Source: Asia Pulse

SEOUL, July 24 Asia Pulse - North Korea played down the G-8 summit, which was held at Hokkaido, Japan, in early July, saying the leading western countries have a limited ability to address global issues.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other

24 July 2008
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• Source: Agence France Presse

India said Thursday it was sending out envoys to lobby for the final international clearances needed to finalise a controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Energy and Nuclear Safety

24 July 2008
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• Author: Hui Min Neo
• Source: Agence France Presse

Strains between big and small countries worsened tension between rich and poor at WTO trade talks here on Thursday as countries struggled to thrash out a new global free-trade pact.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Multilateral Trade, Development

24 July 2008
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• Source: Jiji Press English News Service

Tokyo, July 24 (Jiji Press)–A team of Chinese officials will visit Japan for eight days from Sunday to learn about Japan’s know-how on post-quake reconstruction, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Other, Development, Conflict Prevention and Human Security

23 July 2008
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• Source: BBC Monitoring European

In part disappointed by the excessive open-door stance on the part of French President Nicolas Sarkozy with regard to Syria, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has apparently concentrated his attention on Italy, as a strategic partner on the northern side of the Mediterranean. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Other

21 July 2008
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• Author: Michael Freedman
• Source: Newsweek International

Most leaders at last week’s G8 summit in Japan shared a dubious distinction: they’re unloved at home. George W. Bush is so unpopular his own party doesn’t know what to do with him. Same goes for Gordon Brown. Nicolas Sarkozy’s approval numbers keep sliding, and Yasuo Fukuda’s are in the pits. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other