Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said Thursday in Calgary that the Group of Eight (G-8) summit "started on time and finished on time" and stuck strictly to the agenda of the meeting, the first since September 11 attacks on theUnited States.
The summit, which opened Wednesday and concluded Thursday, was unique for the amount of work done by G-8 leaders themselves, Chretien told reporters after leaders from G-8 and the European Union wound up their summit in Kananaskis, a Canadian Rocky Mountain retreat near Calgary.
"We met in Kananaskis for our annual summit to discuss the challenges of fighting terrorism, strengthening global economic growth and sustainable development, and building a new partnershipfor Africa's development," said Chretien, host of the summit.
"This was our first meeting since the terrible events of September 11. We discussed the threat posed to innocent citizens and our societies by terrorists and those who support them," he said.
After leaders of Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan,Russia and the United States concluded their summit, French President Jacques Chirac told a press conference that the G-8 was unanimous in being optimistic about global economic growth.
"The year 2002 should end in growth and 2003 should allow most countries to have growth of up to 3 percent. I'm not talking aboutcountries such as Canada and Russia, which have greater growth than that," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, leaders agreed a new aid and action package with impoverished African countries. Under the plan, the world's richest countries would provide billions of dollars in newaid and corporate investment to the poorest nations who promise tocarry out political and economic reforms.
Chretien also told reporters the G-8 leaders welcomed the offerby Chirac to host the next G-8 summit in June 2003.
"We agree that Russia will assume the 2006 presidency and will host our annual summit that year," Chretien said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2002)
