G8 summit - Bush only cares about US economy

The demeanour of US President George W Bush in advance of tomorrow’s opening of the G8 three-day Gleneagles summit, indicates strongly that what is good for the American economy is his main concern.

His pre-condition on global warming, plus the tension between Britain and France on the eve of a decision about the venue for the 2012 Olympics, does not augur well for the summit deliberations.

Mr Bush has already dismissed one of the two major items on the agenda, another Kyoto-style deal, and bluntly admitted to ITV interviewer Trevor McDonald last night that the "Kyoto treaty would have wrecked our economy".

British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is hosting the meeting of the seven industrialised nations, and Russia, near Edinburgh, is looking for agreements on climate change and Africa.

Mr Bush has admitted that global warming is an issue that has to be dealt with, but he is only prepared to deal with it in the context of new technologies, which would appease his American constituency.

Hitherto, he has shown a propensity to talk about the issue, rather than doing anything about it, despite the fact that America is the biggest polluter among the developed countries.

Similarly, on the question of tackling African poverty the US President is more than willing to move on eliminating US farm subsidies but only if the EU is willing so scrap its CAP.

He knows that that is not going to happen, because the barrier to either cutting or re-nationalising the CAP is French President Jacques Chirac who has been a consummate supporter of French farmers.

Probably concentrating the French president's mind more than global warming or poverty in Africa tomorrow will be the Olympics. While Paris is the clear favourite for the 2012 Games, it is closely followed by London, although Moscow, New York and Madrid are also serious contenders.

To emphasise the economic importance to the vying cities, both he and Mr Blair will lobby IOC officials in Singapore before meeting in Gleneagles.

In the unlikely event that London will shade Paris for this prize, although not impossible, the summit will have to contend with French petulance as well.

Despite the magnificent Live 8 world-wide concerts, which had a television audience of almost three billion, campaigning for an end to poverty in Africa, it is unlikely that that objective will be achieved in great measure at this forthcoming summit.

While the G8 members, comprising Britain, US, Canada, France, Japan, Germany, Italy and Russia, can agree on policies and can set objectives, there is nothing legally binding on them to comply, as glaringly illustrated by the US and its shunning of the Kyoto treaty.

Certainly, the current trade subsidies as well as the CAP militate against helping to level the pitch for African countries, but eliminating protectionism in developed countries is too politically fraught to be imminently resolved.

While the G8 nations have committed themselves to eliminating debt relief for 38 countries and a doubling of aid, other countries will also have to redouble their overseas aid commitment. Ireland is an example of one of the countries which has disgracefully reneged on its pledge to reach its UN target by 2007.