Curiously, the article omits the small fact that invitations for Egypt and Saudi to attend the 'conference', have been declined.
The 'Greater Middle East initiative', (or Final Solution of the towelhead problem) may have something to do with this.
---------------------------------
Tight security awaits G8 leaders
Thousands of troops and police officers have been deployed
A huge security operation is in place ahead of the opening on Tuesday of the Group of Eight (G8) summit in the US.
Military and police forces have sealed off the venue - the secluded resort of Sea Island, off Georgia.
Leaders of the world's leading industrial nations are gathering there for talks.
US officials have said the summit could be one of several high-profile events in the country this summer targeted by Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Causeway
Only those with high-level credentials are being allowed onto Sea Island.
Click here to see a map of the area
About five miles (8km) long and two miles (1.3km) wide, the private island can be reached only by a two-lane causeway - or from the Atlantic Ocean.
Concrete barriers, metal fencing and checkpoints have been put in place around key buildings and routes on the mainland and surrounding islands.
Thousands of police officers and National Guard troops are patrolling roads and bridges, while military aircraft and gunboats have also been deployed.
Unlike at previous G8 summits, anti-globalisation protests are expected to be low-key.
Iraq differences
The Group of Eight countries are the US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada and Russia.
Although it originally began as an economic forum, the agenda for this G8 summit is decidedly political.
Iraq is likely to dominate, with the status of coalition forces in the country after the handover of power at the end of this month a key issue.
The question of Iraq's foreign debt will also occur, with Washington pushing to cancel 80 to 90% of that debt. Germany and France have so far been unwilling to go beyond 50%.
Political reform in the wider Middle East, terrorism and security, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and North Korea's nuclear ambitions are also on the summit agenda.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3784071.stm
[This message was edited by eek on June 07, 2004 at 11:59 PM.]
The 'Greater Middle East initiative', (or Final Solution of the towelhead problem) may have something to do with this.
---------------------------------
Tight security awaits G8 leaders
Thousands of troops and police officers have been deployed
A huge security operation is in place ahead of the opening on Tuesday of the Group of Eight (G8) summit in the US.
Military and police forces have sealed off the venue - the secluded resort of Sea Island, off Georgia.
Leaders of the world's leading industrial nations are gathering there for talks.
US officials have said the summit could be one of several high-profile events in the country this summer targeted by Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Causeway
Only those with high-level credentials are being allowed onto Sea Island.
Click here to see a map of the area
About five miles (8km) long and two miles (1.3km) wide, the private island can be reached only by a two-lane causeway - or from the Atlantic Ocean.
Concrete barriers, metal fencing and checkpoints have been put in place around key buildings and routes on the mainland and surrounding islands.
Thousands of police officers and National Guard troops are patrolling roads and bridges, while military aircraft and gunboats have also been deployed.
Unlike at previous G8 summits, anti-globalisation protests are expected to be low-key.
Iraq differences
The Group of Eight countries are the US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada and Russia.
Although it originally began as an economic forum, the agenda for this G8 summit is decidedly political.
Iraq is likely to dominate, with the status of coalition forces in the country after the handover of power at the end of this month a key issue.
The question of Iraq's foreign debt will also occur, with Washington pushing to cancel 80 to 90% of that debt. Germany and France have so far been unwilling to go beyond 50%.
Political reform in the wider Middle East, terrorism and security, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and North Korea's nuclear ambitions are also on the summit agenda.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3784071.stm
[This message was edited by eek on June 07, 2004 at 11:59 PM.]
