Kufuor, G-8 Leaders hold annual summit

Heiligendamm, Germany, June 7, GNA - Leaders of the Group of Eight top industrialized nations (G-8) on Wednesday gathered in the German Baltic seaside resort of Heiligendamm amid tight security, for the annual three-day meeting to discuss the political and economic direction of the world.

They include United States (US) President George Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, German President Nicolas Sarkozy and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.


Key issues on the agenda are the promotion of worldwide economic recovery, making globalisation socially equitable and delivering on aid pledges to Africa.


Climate change, the row between the US and Russia over the deployment of a missile shield in Europe and the controversy over Iran=B4s Nuclear programme are also likely to dominate the discussions. President John Agykum Kufuor is attending the meeting alongside five other African leaders.

They are South African President Thabo Mbeki, newly inaugurated Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar,dua, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika.


The G-8 leaders according to a programme released by the summit organisers would have a special session with the African leaders on Friday.


President Kufuor is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines with the leaders of Germany, Italy and Russia. German Chancellor Merkel whose country holds the Presidency of the G-8 said the goal was to identify solutions to the challenges of security, environment and development policy issues confronting humanity.