Los Angeles Times
Genoa, Italy -- Amid daylong spasms of violence that left one demonstrator dead of a gunshot wound, leaders of the largest industrial democracies sought a unified attack Friday on sluggish economic growth. They promised to fight global poverty and advanced an international campaign against AIDS.
Their quiet, orderly conversations about the world's ills, conducted in the splendor of the Ducal Palace and over dinner in the nearby Doria Spinola Palace, stood in contrast to the scenes on the streets of this workaday port city: burning cars, looted banks, demonstrators with blood streaming from their faces after encounters with police and, in the end, a death.
The violence reached a new level for the demonstrations that have become a staple of such international meetings over the past year and a half. Although aimed at raising an amalgam of issues, the protests have been centered on fears that lowered trade barriers will reduce protections for workers and the environment.
President Bush, attending his first sessions of the Group of Eight -- the seven industrial giants and Russia -- made no public comments as the day unfolded. Before he left Britain on Friday morning, he looked ahead to the likely prospect of violence -- signaled as protesters streamed into Genoa over several days -- and said some would try to disrupt the meetings, "claiming they represent the poor."
"To those folks I say, instead of addressing policies that represent the poor, you embrace policies that lock poor people into poverty, and that's unacceptable to the United States," he said. "Trade has been the best avenue for economic growth for all countries, and I reject the isolationism and protectionism that dominate those who will try to disrupt the meetings in Genoa."
Later, a deputy national security adviser, Gary Edson, who was the only aide at Bush's side during the meetings with other leaders, said the president had been told of the violence and death.
Tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets of Genoa throughout the day. Small groups of anarchists swarmed through the city, looting banks and attacking police who were in riot gear. Other, larger protest groups sought to breach the barriers around the summit site without attacking the police.
Police said more than 100 people were injured, including police officers and at least a half-dozen journalists, and more than 50 people were detained.
No suspension planned
A senior Bush administration official said he had heard no suggestion within the summit corridors that the sessions be suspended as a result of the violence.
Indeed, the protests had no apparent impact on the meetings Friday. Motorcades traversed the relatively short distances between the palaces and the pier at which the European Vision, the cruise ship that is home to all the leaders but Bush, was tied up. Bush stayed at a dockside hotel.
The meeting is the 27th in an annual series -- the membership growing as economies and world conditions have changed -- and brings together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S. and, for all but the opening economic talks, Russia.
The summit, officials said, produced these accomplishments during the first of its three days: the formal launch of a global fund to fight HIV, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; support for opening a new round of global trade talks, the first since late 1994; and agreement to promote reform of the multilateral development banks and their programs aimed at the world's poorest nations.
The group also discussed the proposal Bush made Tuesday to the World Bank that major international financial institutions dramatically shift their help for the poorest countries away from loans, which burden the recipients with debt, and instead offer grants. He recommended a 50% increase in such spending. Much would be directed toward education and health programs to help these nations improve their long-term economic prospects.
On economic issues, participants were said by a Bush aide to have reported on their countries' efforts to counter the global economic slowdown.
The focus on specific economic issues has grown increasingly brief over the years, considering that the initial summit, in 1975, was called to bring the leaders of the largest economies into informal discussion of economic conditions.
Now, reflecting new world conditions -- and the relative health of their economies -- the leaders' focus at this meeting is the fight against poverty around the world. Representatives of Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Senegal, Mali, Bangladesh and El Salvador were invited to the dinner table Friday night.
Officials patted themselves on the back for what they consider the speedy organization of the AIDS program. It was proposed at last year's summit in Okinawa. They say it could be operating by year's end.
At Friday's gathering, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced the formal launching of the plan, saying "the world is finally summoning the will and committing the resources to win the war for all humanity."
Priorities listed
He said the priorities of the program were making sure people know how to avoid infection; stopping "the most tragic" transmission of the disease, from mother to child; providing treatment for all who are infected; working on a vaccine; and helping those who have been devastated by AIDS, particularly the approximately 11 million orphans it has created.
Two leading groups of anti-AIDS activists immediately denounced the program as insufficient in funds and reach. The funding "ignores the millions of poor who are dying without access to affordable AIDS treatment," said Asia Russell of the Health GAP Coalition and ACT UP.
Reiterating Annan's own plea for additional money, Russell said the G-8 leaders are refusing to come up with the $7 billion to $10 billion needed each year to give the global fund "any hope of offering sustainable treatment."
THE SUMMIT
What: Group of Eight summit
Who: United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Russia
When: Through Sunday
Where: The Ducal Palace in Genoa, Italy
Why: Explore common positions among the world's seven wealthiest democracies and Russia on various issues
Friday's results
-- The launch of a global fund to fight HIV, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis
-- Support for new global trade talks, the first since late 1994
-- Agreement to promote reform of the multilateral development banks and their programs aimed at the world's poorest nations
Source: Summit officials