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Rome wants G8 talks in quake town Rome wants G8 talks in quake town
(about 1 hour later)
Italy's cabinet has backed plans by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to move this summer's G8 summit to the earthquake-struck town of L'Aquila.Italy's cabinet has backed plans by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to move this summer's G8 summit to the earthquake-struck town of L'Aquila.
Other G8 member states would need to back the move.Other G8 member states would need to back the move.
Italy had previously planned to hold the summit, which is scheduled to run from 8-10 July, on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Italy had previously planned to hold the 8-10 July summit on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
An earthquake on 6 April devastated L'Aquila, leaving 295 people dead and at least 50,000 homeless. An earthquake on 6 April devastated L'Aquila and the surrounding area, leaving 295 people dead and at least 50,000 homeless.
The decision to move the summit was made at a cabinet meeting held in L'Aquila. The decision to back the summit move was made at a cabinet meeting held in L'Aquila.
Mr Berlusconi said that holding the summit in the central Italian city would save money from security costs that could be spent on post-earthquake reconstruction. Military school
He also said he did not think that anti-globalisation protesters would have what he called the wish or the heart to stage violent demonstrations in an area so badly damaged by an earthquake. Mr Berlusconi said that the 220m euros (£197m) that would have been required for security and infrastructure in La Maddalena, Sardinia, would be better spent on post-earthquake reconstruction.
World leaders could see the damage for themselves, he added, and might be persuaded to donate more money. He said he did not think that anti-globalisation protesters would have what he called the wish or the heart to stage violent demonstrations in an area so badly damaged by an earthquake.
"The 21 heads of government who come will be able to see first hand the wounds caused by this earthquake," the Italian leader said at a press conference. A G8 meeting held in Genoa in 2001 was marred by violence between security forces and protesters.
World leaders could see the damage for themselves, Mr Berlusconi said, and might be persuaded to donate more money.
Silvio Berlusconi has visited the region hit by the earthquake several times
"The 21 heads of government who come will be able to see first-hand the wounds caused by this earthquake," the Italian leader said at a news conference.
"I think it could work out very well.""I think it could work out very well."
On Thursday the cabinet also raised the amount of money allocated for reconstruction efforts in the central Abruzzo region to 8bn euros (£7.2bn). On Thursday the cabinet also allocated 8bn euros (£7.2bn) for reconstruction efforts in the central Abruzzo region.
There were already a sufficient number of hotels for conferences, delegations and journalists at the summit, Mr Berlusconi said.
He said the summit could be held in the same military school as the cabinet meeting.
The complex, which includes a barracks and a heliport, was also used for a mass funeral for about 200 victims of the earthquake.