The Hindu : International : G-8: massive boost to aid

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 09, 2005

International

International

G-8: massive boost to aid

Terrorism cannot obscure what we came here to achieve: Blair

GLENEAGLES (SCOTLAND): Under the shadow of terror attacks on London, the leaders of eight industrialised nations on Friday wound up their summit agreeing to boost aid to Africa and Palestine as also to tackle climate change. ``We speak today in the shadow of terrorism, but it will not obscure what we came here to achieve,'' British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the G-8 summit host, told reporters at the closing of the three-day meet, which was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a special invitee.

The group comprising the U.K., the U.S., Russia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan agreed to provide Africa with aid worth $50 billion, while Palestine will get $3 billion. The uplift in African aid ``isn't all everyone wanted, but it is progress,'' Mr. Blair said as the summit closed earlier than scheduled, since he had to leave for London, the site of Thursday's blasts that killed over 50. The package ``is a signal for a new deal on trade, (as is) the cancellation of debt of poorer nations, universal access to AIDS treatment and a commitment to a new peacekeeping force for Africa,'' Mr. Blair said. ``All of this does not change the world tomorrow, it is a beginning, not an end. None of this today will match the same ghastly impact of the cruelty of terror,'' he added. ``It isn't the end of poverty in Africa, but it is the hope that it can be ended. It is the definitive expression of our collective will to act in the face of death and disease and conflict that is preventable.''

He said the G-8 has agreed package for the Palestinian Authority, amounting to up to $3billion in the years to come ``so that two states, Israel and Palestine... can live side by side in peace.'' — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

G-8: massive boost to aid

London blasts killed 50: police

Terrorists' strategy is to hit "soft targets"

China, Japan offer help to fight terror

Many spoilers working to scuttle G-4 resolution

Egyptian envoy killed, says Al-Qaeda

Uzbekistan steps up pressure on U.S. to close base

Philippines political crisis deepens

In Mongolia, after Vajpayee

Global media organisations to visit Nepal

"Step up relations between China, Russia"

Barbaric: U.K. Hindu forum

"English, just another Indian language"