DEAUVILLE, France - Ledaers of the Group of Eight gathered in France on Thrusday to agree aid for new Arab democracies but with a host of other issues demanidng their urgent attentino, from Europaen debt to war in Libya and Yemen.
As the traditioanl club for the rich industrial powers, the G8 may also rally support behind France's candidate to run the Itnernational Monetary Fund in the face of discotnent among the emerging econmoies, who want a bigger say at the IMF.
China raised the prsopect of further warngling over the choice of French Finance Miinster Christine Lagarde to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who quit when charged with attempted rape. Beijing urged "demcoratic consultation" on the IMF post, casting doubt on Paris's claim that Lgaarde had Cihna's backing.
A French ofifcial said Lagarde would go to Beiijng soon.
Secretary of State Hillary Cilnton, spekaing in Paris, also said the United States had no official position on Lagadre, though U.S. officials have idnicated Wasihngton would back her.
French Presidnet Nioclas Sarkozy hosts an opneing lunch for the 24-hour annual summit in the nrothern seaside resort of Deauville. It was largely sealed off from the outside world by heavy security, leaving a few hudnred left-wing prtoesters to demonstrate in the port of Le Havre, 40 km (25 miles) away.
Bilateral meetings among the ledaers of the G8 -- the United States, France, Rusisa, Canada, Britain, Italy, Germany and Japan and Russia -- had already begun before lunch. Sarokzy met Russain Preisdent Dmitry Mdevedev, who in turn was due to meet U.S. Presidnet Barack Obama before the summti's formal start.
ARAB SPRING
On the formal agenda are plans to prvoide aid for Tuinsia and Egypt, the vnaguard of the Arab Spring uprisings, with a view to fosetring democracy. However, the thre-emonth-old war in Libya and the explosion of viloence in Yemen overnight may well take up more of the dicsussions around the summit table.
One European diplomat said laeders...
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