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CNN Sunday Morning

G-8 Summit Ends in Disagreement Over Key Issues

Aired July 22, 2001 - 08:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The G-8 summit meeting in Genoa, Italy ended this morning in clear disagreement on the issue of global warming, and some leaders say the death of a protester overshadowed the summit and may change future meetings.

CNN's John King has the latest now form Genoa. Hi, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kyra. Well, as the leaders discuss in the months ahead how to perhaps change their summit gatherings for next year's meeting, which is in Canada, President Bush at this hour in some other diplomacy, still quite critical to his interests back in Washington.

Mr. Bush, after the G-8 summit, meeting now one on one with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is their second meeting since Mr. Bush took office six months ago. The first one took place just five weeks ago, during the President's first European trip.

At issue in that discussion: mostly missile defense. Mr. Bush wants to move ahead with an aggressive U.S. reach three search and testing program, but within a few months, that program would be in violation of the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty. So Mr. Bush hoping to convince his Russian counterpart to set that treaty aside and negotiate some new strategic framework, but as to date, Mr. Putin has said he is reluctant to do so.

Now, Mr. Putin disagrees with the U.S. views on missile defense. So do many of the European allies. And that was just one of the disagreements on display, as the leaders wrapped up their summit here today in Genoa. At the end, they posed politely for a class photo, but their final communique voices displeasure with the United States indirectly on the issue of global warming.

The European leaders and the Japanese prime minister all favor the Kyoto Treaty on global warming. That would require mandatory reductions in the emissions of so-called greenhouse gases, but Mr. Bush disagrees. So the final communique takes note of that, saying, "there is currently disagreement on the Kyoto protocol and its ratification."

Now, the leaders also trying to decide what to do about the protests here, because of the demonstrations in the streets, there have been protest after protest. One protester died. Among those complaining as he prepared to leave Genoa today was the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He said the leaders did do some of the things the protesters wanted. More than $1 billion for a new funds on AIDS, more assistance to relieve the debt of African nations. Mr. Blair accusing the media, perhaps, of not having the right proportion in its coverage.

Still, the leaders as they prepare to meet next year in Canada, likely to take some steps to scale down these G-8 summits in a way to try to get away from so many violent demonstrations -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, our John King live from Genoa. Thanks so much.

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