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

Watch video>> Putin hosts dinner for G8 leaders

(From L to R) Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President George W. Bush, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso pose for a group photo at Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 16, 2006.(Xinhua Photo)

    ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Leaders attending the Group of Eight (G8) summit met with leaders of six developing countries on Monday for an outreach session to discuss issues of common concern.

    The discussion between G8 leaders and leaders from Brazil, China, India, Mexico, the Republic of Congo and South Africa focused on energy security, fighting communicable diseases, education and Africa's development.

    The G8, which groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States, holds annual summits where economic themes are supposed to prevail.

    Russia, chairing the group's presidency for the first time, has declared energy security, fighting communicable diseases, and education as the three major topics for discussion at the summit. Enditem

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