---

G8: 2007 Summit

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, for his positive comments about the role that the Prime Minister played at the summit.On his point about the lack of firm agreements, particularly with respect to climate change, it was not the place for that kind of firm agreement because the serious negotiations will start in December underthe UN umbrella in Bali. We all hope that those negotiations will be concluded some time in 2009 and that the ratification processes can go through the various countries, so that something is in place when Kyoto ends in 2012. The noble Lord is right about the importance of having China, in particular, around the table when we are talking about climate change. The noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, mentioned deforestation. He will know that the World Bank has a forest carbon partnership, and I am happy to write with more details about that. In the United Kingdom, we have an environment transformation fund that includes some elements that will be spent on the issue of deforestation. Again, I am very happy to write on that. On HIV/AIDS, it is important that noble Lords remember that the commitment made at Gleneagles two years ago was for universal access to treatmentby 2010, so this is work in progress. What was particularly important about this year’s summit was that it focused on implementation. I am very proud that the United Kingdom Government are meeting all our commitments, but we have to do more to put pressure on other G8 Governments who signed up to these commitments in 2005 and reiterated them in 2007. A process is now in place for annual reporting to G8 leaders that will help them to assess the progress being made against the commitments for 2010 and 2015. The noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, is right that we need to do more on Darfur. It is an issue for the global community, which is why the UN Security Council is engaged. A strong statement came out in which the G8 condemned the Government of Sudan’s bombings and rebel attacks in Darfur. It called on all sides to implement an immediate ceasefire and called for humanitarian access, commitment to a renewed political process in Darfur and a rapid transition to the AU/UN force. The statement said that if the Government of Sudan and the rebels continue to fail to meet those obligations, they will face action in the UN Security Council. Given that other members of the Security Council were around that table, that was particularly helpful. Noble Lords will know that not all permanent members of the Security Council are in the same place with respect to imposing sanctions. Although Zimbabwe was not discussed at theG8 Summit itself, it was discussed by G8 Foreign Ministers at their meeting on 30 May. The chairman's summary of that meeting expresses G8 concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe and called for a constructive dialogue with the participation of all political forces to create the basis for reform and reconciliation. The noble Lords, Lord Strathclyde and Lord Wallace of Saltaire, asked me about defence and, in particular, ballistic missiles and the offer fromRussia. President Putin's offer to include the radar in Azerbaijan in the developing ballistic missile system is an interesting and constructive proposal and one that should be considered further. Noble Lords will know that in a Statement on 7 June, the United States said: "““At this time, we are only discussing the hosting of missile defence assets in the Czech Republic and Poland””." As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister said in the Statement, he had a long and frank discussion with President Putin but the whole series of issues that they discussed remain unresolved. The issue of North Korea needs to continue tobe dealt with under the aegis of the international community. The noble Lord, Lord Wallace of Saltaire,also asked me about Kosovo. There was a useful discussion among G8 heads, but there was no breakthrough. The intensive work by the UK and our partners continues, including in New York, on a draft resolution based on the Ahtisari proposals. On the proposal made by President Sarkozy, our priority is to bring the process through to successful completion and his proposals are a useful contribution to achieving that, but we have to consider that in much more detail. We will continue to work with our international partners to reach an acceptable solution to Kosovo’s final status. I forgot to mention climate change. The noble Lord, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, made a statement about the United States population being ahead of its President on that issue. We have seen the impact that the British population's interest in debt relief and aid to Africa has had in helping to keep the Government on track on our commitments. I very much hope that the fact that President Bush has made commitments to engage in the process between now and the end of Kyoto and the fact that the population of the United States takes the issue of climate change so seriously will mean that the United States can engage in a constructive way in those negotiations. On the Financial Stability Forum, the noble Lord will know that those issues are discussed at the G8 Finance Ministers’ meeting, but if I can cast any further light on that, I am happy to write to him. I must confess that I have not read the vast collection of documents that came out of the G8 and I commend the noble Lord, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, for having managed to read at least some of them.