SIDEBAR: Berlin: G8 "well suited" to support North African reform

By Helen Maguire May 24, 2011, 14:25 GMT

Berlin - Group of Eight (G8) leaders should send a clear signal of support for democratic reform in the Arab world when they meet in Deauville this week, German government officials said Tuesday.

The G8 is a 'community of values' that is 'ideally suited' to support the reform processes underway in Tunisia and Egypt, as well those in the region demanding a transition to democracy, officials in Berlin said.

They also stressed that political reform must be accompanied by economic development and job opportunities - especially for the many young people living in northern Africa.

The Egyptian and Tunisian heads of government are among the non-G8 leaders who have also been invited to Deauville.

Germany advocated greater access to European markets, as well as refocusing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development so it can offer its expertise to northern Africa, having accompanied the privatization process in eastern Europe.

The G8 would make no specific financial pledges, Berlin said, adding that development banks were already involved in northern Africa. 'The reform process will not fail due to a lack of money.'

Other African countries will also be present at the G8 summit, where for the first time a joint declaration is expected to be signed by the G8 members and their African guests. 'This symbolizes a partnership on an equal footing,' was the opinion in Berlin.

The G8 is made up of the United States, Russia, France, Britain, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy.

The Deauville summit is the first such meeting after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March, and the nuclear disaster that followed.

It will also be an opportunity for Chancellor Angela Merkel to brief leaders on Germany's revised nuclear energy phaseout following the Fukushima reactor disaster, details of which will be unveiled at the end of this week.

Germany is pressing for greater nuclear security standards to be implemented and adhered to around the world. Events in Japan prompted mass opposition to nuclear energy in Germany, leading to a policy reversal and an earlier nuclear energy phaseout than planned.

The G8 members are also due to revisit the Doha round of world trade talks, which Germany still hopes to conclude despite unresolved issues - notably between the United States and China over tariffs on industrial goods.

'We are still aiming for a completion of the (Doha) round before the end of the year,' a government official said.

France initially intended to focus the G8 summit on global financial issues as well as the internet, but these issues have now been sidelined by developments in northern Africa and the Arab world.

Discussions on the sidelines are also expected to focus on the possible successor to Dominique Strauss-Kahn as the head the International Monetary Fund.

While Germany strongly supports the candidacy of French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, the G8 is not the right forum for such a decision, Berlin said, adding that many key states were not represented and that the nomination process is open until June 10.

While in Deauville, Merkel plans to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.

Read more about Germany