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The View From the Summit

June 10, 2004

In this collection of articles, DW-WORLD provides background information on the G-8, its history, its goals and its opponents along with current analysis and commentary.

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G-8 Summit in Evian, France, June 2, 2003Image: AP

One could almost envy the leaders of the eight biggest industrialized countries, the members of the so-called G-8 states. This year's world economic summit takes place in the sub-tropical paradise of Sea Island, an eight-kilometer long island off the coast of Georgia full of noble villas and golf courses. But the heads of state and government will have little time to enjoy the luxury. From June 8 to 10, they will be focused on negotiating a tough political agenda covering the current situation in Iraq, the peace process in the Middle East and the continuing high price of oil.

The location of this year's summit follows the trend set in previous years of staging the high-profile meeting in secluded sites removed from mass protests by globalization critics. With such hot-button issues on the table, the two-day conference is nonetheless bound to attract demonstrators and generate a good deal of criticism.

In this collection of articles, DW-WORLD provides background information on the G-8, its history, its goals and its opponents along with current analysis and commentary.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

A Platform for Protest

In the last years hardly an international summit has taken place without the accompaniment of protests. Anti-globalization demonstrations are especially common during these meetings as a historical overview shows.
June 7, 2004

What is the G-8?

The Group of Eight consists of the leading industrial nations Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. Although informal in structure, the group's influence is far reaching.
June 7, 2004

Germany-U.S. Exhibit Chummy Ties at G-8 Summit

After almost 18 months of fluctuating tensions between Berlin and Washington, German Chancellor Schröder and U.S. President Bush held a cordial meeting on the fringes of the G8 summit proving they were chummy once again.
June 9, 2004

From Bit Player to Global Heavyweight

Leaders of the world's richest nations will meet off Georgia's coast from June 8-10. The G-8 summit has moved from being an intimate fireside chat to a weighty meeting with a broad economic as well as political agenda.
June 8, 2004

G-8 Summit Ends With Emphasis on Mid East Reform

G-8 leaders wrapped up their three-day summit at the luxury Sea Island resort in Georgia Thursday by vowing to promote democracy in the Middle East, but failed to strongly back a U.S. appeal for help on Iraq.
June 11, 2004

G-8 Leaders Head to U.S. Summit

G-8 leaders will gather on Tuesday for a three-day summit. George Bush's plans for Iraq and the Middle East will dominate the agenda, but there will also be emphasis on debt relief and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
June 8, 2004

China: The Uninvited Guest

The G-8 summit brings together leaders from the world's richest and most influential countries. But there is one country missing from the guest list -- China, which has grown to be the world’s sixth largest economy.
June 8, 2004