A US$20 billion deal designed to stop extremist groups getting hold of nuclear bombs nudged Africa out of the spotlight at a summit of rich nations on Thursday, but the countries promised not to ignore the world's poorest continent next year.
The leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, guarded by tanks, soldiers and batteries of anti-aircraft guns in two days of closed-door talks, also called for Palestinian reforms, although they stopped short of endorsing a US plan that says Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat should go.
In line with year-old promises, they drew up a new development package for Africa, but the Africa Action Plan offered a lot of advice and little in the way of cash.
PHOTO: AP
The leaders also promised US$20 billion to help Russia dismantle weapons of mass destruction and stop extremist groups getting hold of raw materials to build a nuclear bomb, sealing the deal only hours before the summit ended.
"I must admit that I didn't think we would succeed," said Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who hosted the meeting.
But the plan was short on detail, including explaining exactly who would foot the bill.
"We commit ourselves to prevent terrorists, or those that harbor them, from acquiring or developing nuclear, chemical, radiological and biological weapons, missiles and related materials, equipment and technology," a G8 statement said.
Terrorism has long been a topic at annual summits of the G8, where the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US often appear to be seeking things to agree about in a series of broad-brush assessments of international affairs.
But the issue took on new urgency this year after the Sept. 11 attacks in the US, amid the nightmare scenario that groups like al-Qaeda -- blamed for the attacks -- might acquire radioactive material to build a nuclear bomb, or a "dirty bomb" spreading fear and radiation over a wide area.
"The attacks of Sept. 11 demonstrated that terrorists are prepared to use any means to cause terror or inflict appalling casualties on innocent people," the G8 said in its statement.
The summit was held in the sealed-off bubble of Kananaskis, an exclusive resort surrounded by wilderness and accessible only to delegates and security-cleared media representatives in possession of the right security pass.
That took the steam out of possible protest groups and -- in stark contrast to last year's violence-hit summit in the Italian port city of Genoa -- Calgary police said they had made just three arrests.
"We know from a policing perspective that we're in a lose-lose situation as far as the questions are concerned," said Calgary police Inspector Al Redford.
"If everything is peaceful, we're asked the questions about over-preparedness and cost. If it is not, we are asked why we weren't prepared. I would sooner by far answer the former set of questions than the latter."
Small protest groups, arguing that rich countries' policies hurt the poor, demonstrated in Canada's oil capital, Calgary, the nearest city some 90km from the summit site.
That included a mud-in, with mud-smeared participants who complained the G8 did not serve the planet, a die-in that looked more like a mass sunbathing session, and a naked protest, where demonstrators stripped to the buff to complain about labor policies at international clothing chain The Gap.
The only casualty was a Kananaskis bear, shot by a sharpshooter when it got too close to the proceedings.
Back inside the security zone, leaders outlined a vision for the Middle East, accompanied by reformed Palestinian institutions and secure borders for Israel and Palestine.
But they stopped short of backing US proposals that make Palestinian statehood dependent on a new leadership that is not tarnished with terrorist ties.
They mulled the state of the world economy and concluded that things were looking up, despite jittery markets as another accounting scandal emerged in the US.
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
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