UofT G8 Information Centre: G8 Online Program 2005

G8 Information Centre, G8 Online 2005 Program


Videos from the Summit!

Press Briefings

Personal Diary/Daily Diary

The 2005 G8 Summit will take place at Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland from July 6-8, 2005.

 2005 Summit Logo

Official Website: http://www.perthshireg8.com/
Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland, July 6-8, 2005

 

Press Briefings

Jacques Chirac, President of France

July 7 2005/16:30 - Media Centre, Gleneagles, Scotland (by Sarah Brun)

 image of Jacques Chirac, President of France The French President Mr. Jacques Chirac began the press briefing with his heartfelt condolences to the victims of the London terror attacks. He called it an inhuman and barbarian act that will accomplish nothing and said Prime Minister Blair who made the obvious and right decision in leaving for London. Mr. Chriac also made it clear that the terrorists would not get the satisfaction of halting the summit. In fact, the attacks only strengthened the solidarity of the thirteen nations. The President also offered condolences to Egypt for the loss of their Ambassador to Iraq.

The President focused the remainder of his time on the climate change talks. The topic is one Mr. Chirac has endorsed from the beginning, working closely with Mr. Blair on promoting the issue. He called it an urgent, threatening reality, which is man-made, and ironically enough, one of which man will be the victim.

For the first time the G8 Academy of science experts as well as the scientists from India, China and Brazil agreed that the threat was imminent and very real. Chirac said it was important to focus on this issue now as the G5 nations move forward and make critical decisions regarding their energy policies. France has always had five strong points on the topic:

  • One must recognize the reality of the issue and face responsibility.
  • One must act immediately to slow down current emissions and eventually level them out.
  • One must recognize the Kyoto protocol as the legal framework that governs their actions.
  • One must re-state the commitment on climate change to the UN committee.
  • Dialogue is necessary between the nations, in particular with the seven G8 nations who have signed Kyoto and the United States who has not signed Kyoto.

Furthermore, it is important that financing for development of clean energy is put aside. The President announced he had noticed a change in the US position and if turned out to be confirmed it was a positive step. A draft agreement, including the US, has been made; not the result of the bombings, but rather something that had happened over the last days as the respective sherpas met. Rather he speculated that the change in the US position had to do with international solidarity; they were a group of eight and not eight against one. It is important to stand united.

 

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