Bush to address trade, dvpt, climate in G8 Summit

Washington, June 3: President George W Bush has said it was in the interest of the United States to help the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations advance trade, promote development and address climate change.

In his weekly radio address yesterday, he said he would discuss these issues with other G8 leaders at the three-day summit beginning on June 6 in Germany.

President Bush said the G8 leaders would discuss ways how they could advance trade, fight disease, promote development, increase access to education, and address the long-term challenge of global climate change.

''When we help lift societies out of poverty, we create new markets for American goods and new jobs for American workers. When we help reduce chaos and suffering, we make America safer, because prosperous nations are less likely to breed violence and export terror,'' the President said.

He also vowed to set voluntary goals for reducing US greenhouse gases by the end of next year.

''America is investing billions of dollars in clean energy technologies and will share that information with developing nations.'' Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Ed Markey, in his party's response, criticised the president's new plan for climate change as shifting from denial to delay.

He said Bush had failed to set any meaningful limits on the pollution believed to be responsible for global warming, lagging behind European allies such as Germany, which is meeting new energy demands with solar cells.

G8 leaders will meet with a number of African heads of state at their summit to discuss support for good governance and anti-corruption measures.

Besides attending the G8 summit in Germany, President Bush will also visit the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Albania and Bulgaria.

UNI