G8 summit opening in Italy today
The world's most powerful leaders have gathered in Italy for G8 summit aimed at finding common ground on how to tackle the global economic crisis, climate change and turmoil in Iran.
G8 talks traditionally bring together the eight leading economies - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - but much of the discussion will be expanded to include emerging powers such as China and India.
The talks will also focus on emerging political crises in China's Xinjiang region, Iran and Honduras.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she would speak to China's Hu Jintao about the worsening ethnic violence, in which at least 156 people have been killed, on the summit's margins.
Western leaders have plan to push the post-election crisis in Iran to the top of the agenda but China and Russia are cool towards internationalizing the issue.
The bulk of the summit is likely to focus on efforts to shore up the global economy since London hosted a G20 summit in April where world leaders committed one trillion dollars to help struggling economies and revive global trade.
Berlusconi has told reporters that U.S. President Barack Obama will contribute up to a third of an overall $US12 billion ($15.07 billion) pledge for food security in the developing world.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in an interview on Tuesday he would also propose cutting bank transfer charges that migrants pay on their remittances, AFP reported.
G8 talks traditionally bring together the eight leading economies - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - but much of the discussion will be expanded to include emerging powers such as China and India.
The talks will also focus on emerging political crises in China's Xinjiang region, Iran and Honduras.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she would speak to China's Hu Jintao about the worsening ethnic violence, in which at least 156 people have been killed, on the summit's margins.
Western leaders have plan to push the post-election crisis in Iran to the top of the agenda but China and Russia are cool towards internationalizing the issue.
The bulk of the summit is likely to focus on efforts to shore up the global economy since London hosted a G20 summit in April where world leaders committed one trillion dollars to help struggling economies and revive global trade.
Berlusconi has told reporters that U.S. President Barack Obama will contribute up to a third of an overall $US12 billion ($15.07 billion) pledge for food security in the developing world.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in an interview on Tuesday he would also propose cutting bank transfer charges that migrants pay on their remittances, AFP reported.
