Evian, June 01: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today joined world`s most powerful leaders in this tightly-guarded French resort for an informal G-8 summit, even as anti-G-8 protesters clashed with the police here and in Switzerland. In a special gesture, French President Jacques Chirac, who specially invited Vajpayee for the two-day conference, received the Prime Minister near the car in which he arrived to the conference venue, instead of receiving him at the place where he welcomed other dignitaries. Vajpayee flew to Geneva international airport by an Air India special aircraft from St Petersburg, Russia and hopped to Evian on the Franco-Swiss border by a helicopter to participate in the conference being held in the backdrop of lingering trans-Atlantic tensions over the war in Iraq. Among the leaders attending the conference are US President George W Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tony Blair of Britain, Silvio Berlusconi of Italy and Jean Chretien of Canada. During the meeting, Vajpayee, who is a special invitee from developing nations along with some leaders from G-77, NAM, Africa and top executives from UN and global financial institutions, is expected to emphasise on the need for increased development funds for less developed counties from developed countries. He would also carry forward India`s position on trade issues from Doha ministerial meet on WTO. India`s views on Kyoto Protocol relating to environment will also be stressed. As the leaders gathered, tens of thousands of anti-G-8 protestors clashed with police near the venue of the summit and in Switzerland, blocking highways and bridges and setting fire to barricades. Security forces used tear gas shells and rubber bullets to control them. At the summit, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and crown prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia shared the table with the Prime Minister. 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 summit agenda. The Prime Minister will have another opportunity to carry forward the parleys he had had in the last two days in St Petersburg with leaders including Bush, Putin, 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. Bureau Report