Special Report: G8 meets in Russia, Pesident Hu attends G8 summit

    ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Group of Eight (G8) leaders started their first working meeting Sunday morning at Constantine Palace in Strelna outside St. Petersburg, Russia.

    Among the participants are Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President George W. Bush, French President Jacques Chirac, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

    The European Union at the talks is represented by President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, who acts as the current president of the European Council. Finland holds the current rotating presidency of EU.

    The G8 leaders are meeting behind closed doors. In accordance with the long-established pattern of work, the G8 leaders' discussions are being attended only by their personal envoys, sherpas.

    Global energy security, the fight against infectious diseases and education are expected to be key topics at the summit.

    The G8 leaders will also address traditional issues, including counter-terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking, economic and financial issues, regional conflicts including the recent escalation of the Middle East violence, Iran's nuclear program, and the developments concerning the Korean Peninsula, Iraq and Afghanistan.

    At the conclusion of the summit on Monday, the leaders are expected to issue a joint statement on world issues. Enditem