23rd G8 summit

Leaders at the summit

The G8 is an unofficial annual forum for the leaders of Canada, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The 23rd G8 summit was the first summit for British prime minister Tony Blair and, as it was formed with the addition of Russia, Russian president Boris Yeltsin.

Participants

These participants were the "core members" of the 23rd G8 summit:

The format order of this section mirrors the order of the Muskoka 2010 G8 official website -- see http://g8.gc.ca/about/member-states/

This format order is also congruent with "Summit Meetings of the Past" at website of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- see http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/summit/2000/past_summit/table_e/index.html

• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• Russia
• United Kingdom
• US

• European Union

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Priorities

Traditionally, the host country of the G8 summit sets the agenda for negotiations, which take place primarily amongst multi-national civil servants in the weeks before the summit itself, leading to a joint declaration which all countries can agree to sign.

Issues

The summit was intended as a venue for resolving differences among its members. As a practical matter, the summit was also conceived as an opportunity for its members to give each other mutual encouragement in the face of difficult economic decisions.

Accomplishments

A tangible legacy of this summit is the Denver Public Library's main building, an existing library which was transformed into a "masterful composition of new forms". The library has become recognized as one of Denver's city icons. The dramatic post-modern structure was designed by architect Michael Graves. The building was initially used as the summit site; and afterward, it was opened to the public as the city's central library.

The appearance of Boris Yelsin representing Russia as part of the G8 was transformative. Yelsin himself said, "I want very much for it to be written: 'Denver conclusively agrees that the G-7 is transformed into a G-8.'"

In 1997, the summit leaders proclaimed that forests "continue to be destroyed and degraded at alarming rates;" and the G-7 called for the elimination of "illegal logging," but there is little evidence of follow-up action.

Business opportunity

For some, the G8 summit became a profit-generating event; as for example, the official G8 Summit magazines which have been published under the auspices of the host nations for distribution to all attendees since 1998. The special dining opportunities for the summit attendees were created by chefs hired especially for this occasion. President Bill Clinton’s state dinner was held at The Fort Restaurant and offered buffalo, trout, and fried squash blossoms filled with wild mushrooms and rattlesnake meat.

Denver's "Summit of the Eight" planned ahead to ensure that sensitive documents wouldn't fall into the wrong hands because those attending would have the option of shredding any documents before discarding them. The summit organizers leased more than 25 new paper shredders from a Denver company that sells, services and leases the machines—and this was the largest order of its kind for the small local business.

Gallery of participating leaders

Core G8 participants

File:Jean Chrétien 1993.jpg|Canada Canada Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister File:Jacques Chirac (1997) (cropped).jpg|France France Jacques Chirac, President File:Helmut Kohl (1996) cropped.jpg|Germany Germany Helmut Kohl, Chancellor File:Romano Prodi 1999 (cropped).jpg|Italy Italy Romano Prodi, Prime Minister File:Ryutaro Hashimoto 19960111.jpg|Japan Japan Ryutaro Hashimoto, Prime Minister File:Борис Николаевич Ельцин-1 (cropped) (cropped).jpg|Russia Russia Boris Yeltsin, President File:Tony Blair 1997.jpg|United Kingdom United KingdomTony Blair, Prime Minister File:Bill Clinton.jpg|United States United States Bill Clinton, President (Host) File:Wim Kok 1994.jpg|EU European Union Wim Kok, Council President

References

Sources

• Bayne, Nicholas and Robert D. Putnam. (2000). Hanging in There: The G7 and G8 Summit in Maturity and Renewal. Aldershot, Hampshire, England: Ashgate Publishing. ; OCLC 43186692
• Reinalda, Bob and Bertjan Verbeek. (1998). Autonomous Policy Making by International Organizations. London: Routledge. ; ; OCLC 39013643

References

1. Japan, [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] ([[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). MOFA]]): [http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/summit/2000/past_summit/table_e/index.html Summit Meetings in the Past.]
2. Saunders, Doug. [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080704.wG8-analysis05/BNStory/International/columnists "Weight of the world too heavy for G8 shoulders,"] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-10-11 ''Globe and Mail'' (Toronto). July 5, 2008.)
3. Reuters: [https://web.archive.org/web/20081023185037/http://uk.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKB26280520080703?sp=true "Factbox: The Group of Eight: what is it?"], July 3, 2008.
4. Reinalda, Bob and Bertjan Verbeek. (1998). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Bt3AzOHtXwgC&dq=G7+summit&pg=PA205 ''Autonomous Policy Making by International Organizations,'' p. 205.]
5. Rieffel, Lex. [http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2009/0327_global_governance_rieffel.aspx "Regional Voices in Global Governance: Looking to 2010 (Part IV),"] {{webarchive. link. (June 3, 2010 Brookings. March 27, 2009; [http://g8.gc.ca/about/member-states/ "core" members (Muskoka 2010 G-8, official site).] {{webarchive). link. (June 2, 2010)
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10. AP: [http://media.www.collegian.com/media/storage/paper864/news/2007/04/24/News/In.Denver.Yeltsin.Enjoyed.A.Shining.Moment.At.G8.Summit-2876459.shtml "In Denver, Yeltsin enjoyed a shining moment at G-8 summit,"] {{Webarchive. link. (2007-10-20 ''Rocky Mountain Collegian'' (Fort Collins, Colorado). April 24, 2007.)
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