Italy’s preparation for G8 summit does not satisfy other seven

Two days before the beginning of the G8 summit in Italy, many officials from the other countries are unhappy with the summit preparations, and are suggesting more permanent action than a strongly-worded letter: Preparations for Wednesday’s G8 summit in the Italian mountain town of L’Aquila have been so chaotic there is growing pressure from other ...

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TOYAKO, JAPAN - JULY 09: Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (3rd L) shares a laugh with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the official group photograph at the Windsor Hotel Toya on July 9, 2008 in Toyako, Hokkaido, Japan. During this 3-day Summit meeting, leaders from the eight strong industrial countries discuss on issues such as world economy, environment and climate changes and development in Africa. (Photo by Bullit Marquez-Pool/Getty Images)

Two days before the beginning of the G8 summit in Italy, many officials from the other countries are unhappy with the summit preparations, and are suggesting more permanent action than a strongly-worded letter:

Preparations for Wednesday’s G8 summit in the Italian mountain town of L’Aquila have been so chaotic there is growing pressure from other member states to have Italy expelled from the group, according to senior western officials.

In the last few weeks before the summit, and in the absence of any substantive initiatives on the agenda, the US has taken control. Washington has organised “sherpa calls” (conference calls among senior officials) in a last-ditch bid to inject purpose into the meeting.

“For another country to organise the sherpa calls is just unprecedented. It’s a nuclear option,” said one senior G8 member state official. “The Italians have been just awful. There have been no processes and no planning.”

“The G8 is a club, and clubs have membership dues. Italy has not been paying them,” said a European official involved in the summit preparations.

The Italian prime minister has been rather busy as of late, but somehow, I suspect that won’t be offered as an excuse.

Kimimasa Mayama-Pool/Getty Images

James Downie is an editorial researcher at FP.
Tag: Europe

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