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G-8 Meeting Ends With Cordial Stalemate on Syria G-8 Meeting Ends With Cordial Stalemate on Syria
(about 3 hours later)
ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland — The United States and leaders of other major industrialized nations on Tuesday papered over differences on Syria and the global economy in statements that summarized their two-day annual summit meeting at a secluded lakeside resort here.ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland — The United States and leaders of other major industrialized nations on Tuesday papered over differences on Syria and the global economy in statements that summarized their two-day annual summit meeting at a secluded lakeside resort here.
On the issue that dominated the private talks of the so-called Group of 8, the worsening regional war in Syria, the leaders averted a clash with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia by avoiding mention in their declaration of the most contentious matters that divide him and them. Those include the fate of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Russia’s ally, in any peace settlement with the rebels.On the issue that dominated the private talks of the so-called Group of 8, the worsening regional war in Syria, the leaders averted a clash with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia by avoiding mention in their declaration of the most contentious matters that divide him and them. Those include the fate of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Russia’s ally, in any peace settlement with the rebels.
And despite persistent differences between the Obama administration and the Europeans over Europe’s insistence on continued budget cutting instead of stimulus measures in the face of Continent-wide recession, the parties’ final communiqué suggested agreement on economic policies in language that either side could embrace.And despite persistent differences between the Obama administration and the Europeans over Europe’s insistence on continued budget cutting instead of stimulus measures in the face of Continent-wide recession, the parties’ final communiqué suggested agreement on economic policies in language that either side could embrace.
“Promoting growth and jobs is our top priority,” it said in a line that belied divisions between the Americans and European leaders over whether austerity or stimulus best achieves the goal.“Promoting growth and jobs is our top priority,” it said in a line that belied divisions between the Americans and European leaders over whether austerity or stimulus best achieves the goal.
The issue will remain alive, however, as President Obama went to Berlin on Tuesday evening for a state visit with Chancellor Angela Merkel, who as the head of Europe’s major economy is most influential in determining the course of the 27-nation European Union. Ms. Merkel, who has lately eased just slightly Germany’s demands on other indebted neighbors, was among the attendees at the Group of 8 meeting, along with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and Russia.The issue will remain alive, however, as President Obama went to Berlin on Tuesday evening for a state visit with Chancellor Angela Merkel, who as the head of Europe’s major economy is most influential in determining the course of the 27-nation European Union. Ms. Merkel, who has lately eased just slightly Germany’s demands on other indebted neighbors, was among the attendees at the Group of 8 meeting, along with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and Russia.
Concluding their meeting, the leaders agreed to force more openness over who owns companies and to deepen information-sharing between tax authorities. These include measures to combat the ruses used by multinational companies to limit their tax liabilities. While the agreement marks an advance in an increasingly contentious issue, it disappointed some campaigners for financial transparency by its lack of details. While economic issues typically are the focus of these meetings, this two-day gathering was preoccupied by the spike in tensions over the two-year-old Syrian conflict, which has so far killed at least 93,000 people, including women and children. After lengthy negotiations the leaders endorsed the idea of holding a new peace conference in Geneva “as soon as possible,” something that Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, the summit’s hostt, said had been “slipping away” before the discussions.
But the high politics of the two-day meeting was dominated by tension over the two-year Syrian conflict, which has so far killed at least 93,000 people, including women and children. The Geneva meeting is now likely to be delayed until late August or September, according to one Western official who spoke on condition of anonymity. That has fueled fears that Mr. Putin is playing for time on Mr. Assad’s behlf, calculating that by late summer Syria’s fragmented opposition will be further weakened by military reverses.
The leaders endorsed the idea of holding peace talks in Geneva “as soon as possible,” something that Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, the host of the summit meeting, said had been “slipping away” before the G-8 discussions. Mr. Cameron said that the summit declaration signaled to Mr. Assad’s supporters in the military and security services that they had a future without him. The leaders’ declaration gave a little more detail about how a transition to a new government in Syria would work. But its cautionary language and the absence of ato call for Mr. Assad’s departure — as Mr. Obama and some European leaders demand — underscored the extent to which Mr. Putin fought for the Syrian leadert despite being heavily outnumbered in discussions on Monday with the seven other heads of state.
Still, no time frame was mentioned for the Geneva talks, and they are now likely to be delayed until late August or September, according to one Western official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. That has fueled some fears that Mr. Putin, who is one of Mr. Assad’s most prominent supporters, may be playing for time — calculating that, by the end of the summer, an already fragmented opposition in Syria will be further weakened by military reverses. Though Russia is Syria’s principal arms supplier, Mr. Putin warned the others against United States plans to begin sending some light arms and ammunition to Syrian rebels; even before Mr. Obama’s decision, France and Germany supported an end to a European embargo on arms transfers to the opposition. Mr. Putin, playing on the others’ fears that the rebels include extremists allied with Al Qaeda, repeated his contention that the disparate opposition could not form an alternative government, according to a Western diplomat THE SAME ONE AS ABOVE who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.
The G-8 declaration gave a little more detail about how a transition to a new government in Syria would work. But its cautionary language and failure to call for Mr. Assad’s departure — as Mr. Obama and some European leaders demand — underscored the extent to which Mr. Putin fought for the Syrian autocrat despite being heavily outnumbered in discussions on Monday with the seven other heads of state. Nevertheless, as those allied against Russia at the summit noted, the summit declaration did include an implicit appeal to members of Mr. Assad’s government to abandon him, by suggesting that they could survive in a new government that excluded him. It said that public services in Syria must be preserved in a transition, and specified that “this includes the military forces and security services.”
Mr. Obama’s and Mr. Putin’s public remarks Monday — delivered as the two men sat side by side, each repeatedly clenching his jaw and looking at the carpet — suggested that the only prospect for a breakthrough on Syria was through talks. “We agreed to push the parties to the negotiations table,” Mr. Putin said. Mr. Cameron, in a post-summit news conference, said, “For those who have been loyal to Assad but who know he has to go and who want stability in their country, they should take note of this point.”
Though Russia is Syria’s principal arms supplier, Mr. Putin used the dinner deliberations on Monday to warn against U.S. plans to begin sending some light arms and ammunition to Syrian rebels. Playing on the others’ fears that the rebels include some extremists allied with Al Qaeda, Mr. Putin repeated his contention that the opposition could not form an alternative government, according to a Western diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. The leaders condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria but, again in deference to Mr. Putin, did not blame Mr. Assad for using them against the rebels as the Americans, British and French allege. It called for an “objective investigation into reports of the use of chemical weapons,” though the United States, France and Britain all claim to have hard evidence of the lethal use of such weapons to take to the United Nations.
Nevertheless, the summit meeting conclusions did make an implicit appeal to Mr. Assad’s loyal supporters to abandon him by suggesting that they could survive after his rule. Public services in Syria must be preserved in a transition, the communiqué said, and “this includes the military forces and security services.” “Both of our governments have strong evidence that in fact chemical weapons have been used in the past by the Assad regime,” Mr. Obama told reporters on Tuesday after a private meeting with President Francois Hollande of France. “But we are very comfortable with the approach taken by the G8 that allows the U.N. the full powers it needs to investigate and establish these facts on the ground.”
“For those who have been loyal to Assad but who know he has to go and who want stability in their country, they should take note of this point,” Mr. Cameron told a news conference. The communiqué also even-handedly called on both the Syrian government and opposition “to commit to destroying and expelling from Syria all organizations and individuals affiliated with Al Qaeda and any other non-state actors linked to terrorism.”
The declaration condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria but, again in deference to Mr. Putin, did not blame Mr. Assad for using them against the rebels as the Americans, British and French allege. It called for an “objective investigation into reports of the use of chemical weapons,” though the United States, France and Britain all claim to have hard evidence of the lethal use of chemical weapons. Despite the clear divisions between Russia and everyone else — something that both Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin had archly acknowledged after a one-on-one meeting Monday — the White House released a statement on the summit that applauded “the international consensus that was reached on Syria.”
The leaders, in their communiqué, also called on both the Syrian government and opposition “to commit to destroying and expelling from Syria all organizations and individuals affiliated with Al Qaeda and any other nonstate actors linked to terrorism.” In support of that positive take, the administration cited the agreement on a political process in Geneva to resolve the conflict, investigation of chemical weapons use and $1.5 billion in additional humanitarian support for Syrians.
Despite the clear divisions with Russia, something that both Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin acknowledged after a one-on-one meeting Monday, the White House in a post-summit meeting statement applauded “the international consensus that was reached on Syria at the G-8.” It cited the agreement on a political process in Geneva to resolve the conflict, investigation of chemical weapons use and $1.5 billion in additional humanitarian support for Syrians. The leaders, dressed casually throughout, met in a high-ceilinged room of a lodge at table small enough to reach across and shake hands, and near windows looking out at Lake Erne, for which the resort it is named, .
The declaration also claimed that economic risks had been reduced partly by “significant policy actions taken in the U.S., euro area and Japan.” Of the economic issues, prominent was one placed on the agenda by Mr. Cameron, for cooperation against both illegal tax evasion and legal ruses that multinational companies use to reduce their tax liabilities.
And it said that “decisive action is needed to nurture a sustainable recovery and restore the resilience of the global economy” through a balance of stimulus, budget cuts and other measures. While much about the tax crackdown promise was left to each nation’s discretion and law-making, the leaders agreed to press for more openness to disclose who owns companies and to deepen information-sharing between tax authorities. While outside groups that advocate against tax havens hailed the agreement as an advance in an increasingly contentious international issue, they also expressed disappointment at the lack of details.
“The pace of fiscal consolidation should be differentiated for our different national economic circumstances,” it said. On the broader issue of global economic policy, which often had dominated these meetings since the international financial crisis in late 2008, the leaders were equally vague and even self-congratulatory despite continued high unemployment especially in much of Europe.
The declaration claimed that economic risks internationally had been reduced partly by “significant policy actions taken in the U.S., euro area and Japan.” Without specifics, it said “decisive action is needed to nurture a sustainable recovery and restore the resilience of the global economy” through a balance of stimulus, budget cuts and other measures.
And in a nod to the divisions both between the United States and Europe and between Germany and other European nations, the leaders concluded about the need to reduce national budget deficits and debt, saying in the delcaration, “The pace of fiscal consolidation should be differentiated for our different national economic circumstances.”