Italy to invite more countries to G8 gathering next year: PM
5/12/2008 16:29
Italy plans to invite more countries to participate in next year's summit
of the Group of Eight (G8), Premier Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday.
Italy,
which is due to take over the rotating G8 presidency next year, is going to
invite the leaders of Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt,
Indonesia, Australia and African Union to the event, he told the press.
The
three-day G8 summit is scheduled to be held in early July on the Sardinian
island of La Maddalena, he said.
Leaders of the eight members of the bloc
that groups the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Italy, Canada, Germany
and Russia, will hold talks on the first day.
They will meet with their
counterparts from China, India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Egypt on the
second day, Berlusconi said.
The third day will include a meeting that
gathers leaders of the above 14 countries and also delegates from Australia,
Indonesia and other major African countries, he said.
Italy has pressed hard
for an Egyptian involvement because of Egypt's status in the Middle East and
Africa, Berlusconi said.
The upcoming summit is expected to discuss such
topics as the world financial crisis, climate change, anti-terrorism and energy
security, he said.
Xinhua
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