G8 summit starts in Heiligendamm

PanARMENIAN.Net - The G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany brings together world leaders from the leading industrial countries for a three-day meeting.



"Growth and responsibility" - these guiding concepts are to shape G8 negotiations under the Germany Presidency in 2007.



Leaders from the G8 - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US - are expected to discuss climate change, poverty in Africa and the U.S.-Russian controversies.



They will also refer to other foreign policy issues including Iran's nuclear program, the situation in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan as well as war on terror. Special attention will be paid to raising responsibility of the world economies and stability of financial markets.



Political tensions, however, are expected to overshadow progress on climate change and African aid.



U.S. plans for a missile defense shield on European soil coupled with harsh criticism over faltering democratic reforms in Russia has irked lawmakers in Moscow and sparked strong rhetoric from Russian President Vladimir Putin who said any threats to Russia would be met with retaliation.



One more topic seems to be getting great attention: security.



Outside the wire-topped fence, which plows through the landscape for about 7.5 miles, cutting off the summit location Heiligendamm from the rest of the world, up to 100,000 protesters from all over the world are expected to stage dozens of anti-globalization, anti-capitalism demonstrations during the next couple of days.