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Economic issues to top Vajpayee`s agenda at G-8 summit
Evian, June 01: After hectic parleys with the world`s most powerful leaders in St Petersburg, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee moves here for a fresh round of economic diplomacy with them at the informal G-8 summit organised by the French President Jacques Chirac.
Evian, June 01: After hectic parleys with the world's most powerful leaders in St Petersburg, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee moves here for a fresh round of economic diplomacy with them at the informal G-8 summit organised by the French President Jacques Chirac.
The leaders are gathered for participation in a Chirac effort for a "broader initiative" in an informal summit to discuss global concerns to discuss the risks generated by globalisation and the need for better "global governance".
Though economic issues may be on top of the agenda, issues like security in the context of global terrorism that has the potential to derail development and furtherance of democracy are also high on the agenda.
Vajpayee is a special invitee from developing nations along with some of those from G-77, NAM, Africa and top executives from United Nations, World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation, besides China.
The Prime Minister will also have another opportunity to carry forward the parleys he had had in the last two days in St Petersburg with leaders including US President George W Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder besides Chirac on various global issues.
The meet assumes significance in the context of the upcoming ministerial meeting of the WTO in Cancun in Mexico which will carry forward the recommendations of the ministerial meeting in Doha.
The Prime Minister is expected to voice the aspirations of the developing world as reflected by the views expressed in fora like G-77 and NAM for a legitimate share for the developing and the less developed countries through increased access to development funds and protection against protectionist measures of the developed West in matters like agriculture.
The gathering will also provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister to voice India's views on international terrorism because of which development issues recede to the background.
France, which is holding the G-8 presidency for the fifth time, has outlined four broad conceptual themes as priority like solidarity with emphasis on partnership for Africa's development, the need for business corporations to display a spirit of responsibility in the financial, social, environmental and ethical spheres.
The other two areas of priority are security in order to strengthen the fight against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and democracy through ongoing dialogue with civil society and with other states.
In an address earlier this year, Chirac had extensively spoken on these four themes saying they required to be addressed in order to ensure that globalisation promoted freedom, creativity, peace, prosperity, cultural interchange and progress in human rights.
He is of the view that G-8 is not the world's management board and its purpose is to provide momentum and its activities must be carried out in the context of the international institutions and a wider dialogue.
The French leader's stated objective was to discuss how globalisation could be made to benefit all and how the world could move towards global democracy.
He has proposed to address the theme of "responsibility" by addressing the question of indebtedness of middle income countries by invoking the responsibility of industrialised nations for ensuring sustainable development and fighting climate change.
Chirac also plans to take 'security' theme here by focussing on strengthening the fight against terrorism and proliferation and cites the particular problems posed by North Korea.
The summit will provide an useful opportunity for India, alongwith China, Brazil and other invitees from the developing world to interact with the G-8 countries in a formal manner.
Bureau Report
Though economic issues may be on top of the agenda, issues like security in the context of global terrorism that has the potential to derail development and furtherance of democracy are also high on the agenda.
Vajpayee is a special invitee from developing nations along with some of those from G-77, NAM, Africa and top executives from United Nations, World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation, besides China.
The Prime Minister will also have another opportunity to carry forward the parleys he had had in the last two days in St Petersburg with leaders including US President George W Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder besides Chirac on various global issues.
The meet assumes significance in the context of the upcoming ministerial meeting of the WTO in Cancun in Mexico which will carry forward the recommendations of the ministerial meeting in Doha.
The Prime Minister is expected to voice the aspirations of the developing world as reflected by the views expressed in fora like G-77 and NAM for a legitimate share for the developing and the less developed countries through increased access to development funds and protection against protectionist measures of the developed West in matters like agriculture.
The gathering will also provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister to voice India's views on international terrorism because of which development issues recede to the background.
France, which is holding the G-8 presidency for the fifth time, has outlined four broad conceptual themes as priority like solidarity with emphasis on partnership for Africa's development, the need for business corporations to display a spirit of responsibility in the financial, social, environmental and ethical spheres.
The other two areas of priority are security in order to strengthen the fight against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and democracy through ongoing dialogue with civil society and with other states.
In an address earlier this year, Chirac had extensively spoken on these four themes saying they required to be addressed in order to ensure that globalisation promoted freedom, creativity, peace, prosperity, cultural interchange and progress in human rights.
He is of the view that G-8 is not the world's management board and its purpose is to provide momentum and its activities must be carried out in the context of the international institutions and a wider dialogue.
The French leader's stated objective was to discuss how globalisation could be made to benefit all and how the world could move towards global democracy.
He has proposed to address the theme of "responsibility" by addressing the question of indebtedness of middle income countries by invoking the responsibility of industrialised nations for ensuring sustainable development and fighting climate change.
Chirac also plans to take 'security' theme here by focussing on strengthening the fight against terrorism and proliferation and cites the particular problems posed by North Korea.
The summit will provide an useful opportunity for India, alongwith China, Brazil and other invitees from the developing world to interact with the G-8 countries in a formal manner.
Bureau Report