G8 and the Middle East

Last week a meeting took place in St Petersberg, Russia. It was a G8 summit. Talks took place between the leaders of eight of the world's most powerful nations - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Some may argue that only the United States has any real influence on global issues.

Amongst various items, the situation on the Middle East was on the agenda. The group came up with the following statement:

"These extremist elements and those that support them cannot be allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos and provoke a wider conflict. The extremists must immediately halt their attacks."

"It is also critical that Israel, while exercising the right to defend itself, be mindful of the strategic and humanitarian consequences of its actions. We call upon Israel to exercise utmost restraint, seeking to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure and to refrain from acts that would destabilize the Lebanese government. "

"The most urgent priority is to create conditions for a cessation of violence that will be sustainable and lay the foundation for a more permanent solution."

"The most urgent priority is to create conditions for a cessation of violence that will be sustainable and lay the foundation for a more permanent solution. This, in our judgment, requires:

· The return of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon unharmed;
· An end to the shelling of Israeli territory;
· An end to Israeli military operations and the early withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza;
· The release of the arrested Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians. "

The meeting ended on the July 17th so why has nothing been done?

The U.S. State Department has described the G8 statement as "extraordinary."

"The statement... is really, if you will, an action plan. It lays out a roadmap to try to address these various issues," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

"It does provide a way forward," he added. He also emphasized that the G8 leaders had pointed out the fundamental reasons that had led to the current situation.

McCormack confirmed that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit the region, but could not elaborate on the timeframe.

Why is Condoleezza Rice not in the Middle East?
The official reason is Rice wanted to hear the conclusions and recommendations of the UN mission sent to the Middle East by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan before she went. The real reason is not known, but what is known is that more and more innocent people on both sides of the War will continue to die.

Earlier today, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for a cease-fire to the violence in Lebanon, but Israel and the U.S. rejected the idea. The UK will probably do the same. John Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said it was time for the Security Council to start considering a response, but he ruled out a cease-fire. The Bush administration is playing down expectations for Rice's upcoming trip to the Mideast, saying she will not shuttle among capitals to broker a deal.