– WAG the Dog

Energy, Middle East crisis dominate G8 summit
by Xu Liyu

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia-- Energy security and the latest Middle East crisis took center stage at the summit of the Group of Eight (G8) nations that closed on Monday.

Summit host President Vladimir Putin described the meeting as "a success."

"We managed to coordinate approaches to key issues," Putin told a closing press conference at the lavishly-restored Constantine Palace on the Gulf of Finland.

Energy security topped the agenda of the G8 summit this year, along with education and fight against infectious diseases.

In a closing summit statement, the leaders from the world's wealthiest nations said "open, transparent, efficient and competitive" markets are the cornerstone for global energy security.

The leaders adopted the St. Petersburg Plan of Action to enhance global energy security, undertaking to "reduce barriers to energy investment and trade, making it possible for companies from energy producing and consuming countries to invest in and acquire upstream and downstream assets internationally."

The leaders expressed optimism over the state of the world economy. "Global growth remains strong and has become more broadly based," the statement said.

They also threw weight behind a rescue mission for the deadlocked Doha round of international trade talks, giving their negotiators a month to agree on negotiating modalities on agriculture and industrial tariffs.

Their call for concerted efforts to wrap up the Doha round came two weeks after trade officials failed to bridge the gaps during negotiations in Geneva on June 29-July 1.

Although economic themes are supposed to prevail at the gathering, it is often overshadowed by events of the day.

The latest Middle East crisis was a last-minute addition to the agenda and sent leaders in St. Petersburg grappling with a response as Israel waged massive air raids and imposed sea blockade on Lebanon in response to rocket attacks by Hezbollah militants, who kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others on Wednesday.

The leaders called for an end to the violence in the Middle East.

"In Lebanon and Gaza the most urgent priority is for a cessation of violence and not to allow extremist elements to plunge the region into chaos and provoke a wider conflict," the statement said.

A separate statement issued by the G8 leaders expressed their "deepening concern" over the situation and said Hamas elements launching rocket attacks against Israel and Hezbollah militants "must immediately halt their attacks."

The G8 leaders called upon Israel to "exercise utmost restraint" when it exercises its right to defend itself.

On Sunday, Israeli ground forces entered southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah out of the rocket-firing range. Israeli warplanes struck the seaport in the key northern Lebanese city of Tripoli late Sunday night.

Russia and the United States are members of the international Quartet mediating for peace in the Middle East. The Quartet also includes the United Nations and the European Union.

In addition, the G8 also urged Iran to respond positively to an international offer aimed at persuading it to suspend uranium enrichment and called on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to return to the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue.

The G8 gathers Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. Germany will host the next summit in 2007. Enditem