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Bush departs for G8 with world economy, food supply in focus
2008-07-05
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush left Washington Saturday for the G8 meeting in Japan, where he aims to highlight Africa's battles against hunger and deadly diseases and assuage Japanese on his North Korea policy. Bush took off from Dulles International Airport outside Washington at about 12:30 pm (1430 GMT) for the summit on the northern island of Hokkaido. Leaders of the eight major industrial powers meet starting Monday at the Hokkaido resort of Toyako, where they are reportedly set to agree on a new system of "food reserves" to assist hungry nations. According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun each of the G8 members -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States -- will contribute grain to the global reserves. On Wednesday Bush said he will use the summit to press for progress on global efforts to fight climate change, promote free trade, and push G8 leaders to make good on pledges to help Africa fight HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. "We need people who not only make promises, but write checks," said the president, who will celebrate his 62nd birthday on July 6 in Japan. Bush was also expected to hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda as well as leaders of Brazil, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, and seven African "observer" countries. In addition to trying to revive global free trade talks, Bush hoped to win more support for a hard line on Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Burma's military rulers, while soothing Japanese anger at US policies towards North Korea. Bush moved last week to take North Korea off the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, effective in 45 days, in response to North Korea's accounting last week of its nuclear programs. Some Japanese reacted angrily, accusing him of forgetting about the fate of Japanese abducted by North Korea. Bush said Wednesday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, that "expectations are that he will move forward, action for action" under a six-country diplomacy to address nuclear, proliferation, and abductee issues. "If they choose not to move forward on an agreed upon way forward -- action for action -- there will be further isolation and further deprivation for the people of North Korea," he said. Looking at the nuclear disputes with Iran and North Korea, Bush told Japanese media outlets: "Diplomacy has got to be the first choice of solving any of these problems. But military options remain on the table." The US president was also to push leaders at the July 7-9 summit to cope with the global food crisis by boosting shipments of food, fertilizers, and seeds to afflicted countries and to reduce barriers to bio-engineered crops. "It's one thing to talk about the problem; this is a practical way to help countries deal with the lack of food," said Bush. The Asahi Shimbun has reported that the G8 countries will create a new system of food reserves in the wake of this year's conflux of shortages and soaring prices in basic grains and other foodstuffs, leading to food riots in some countries. The system would be modelled on oil reserves designed by the International Energy Agency to lessen the danger of oil shocks, the newspaper said. G8 countries would be obliged to take part in the system and to release grains such as rice, wheat and corn at a time of crisis. Bush will also make the case that no global climate change pact can work unless "greenhouse gas" producing developing nations like China and India accept some form of long-term goals for curbing emissions. "Look, we can't have an effective agreement unless China and India are a part of it. It's as simple as that. I'm going to remind our partners that's the case," he said Wednesday. "Hopefully we can do it at this meeting. If not, we'll continue to press forward to get it done," he added. "It's tough to get consensus." Bush, who will appeal for continued help in Iraq and Afghanistan, was also expected to tackle fears over the battered US economy, including the weak US dollar, cited as a factor in soaring dollar-denominated oil costs.
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