Why the G-8 Summit Doesn'T Matter
By JULIET HINDELL
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九州・沖縄サミットが重大だと思えない理由
九州・沖縄サミットが重大だと思えない理由
来月、沖縄県名護市で開かれるサミットに向けて
日本は盛り上がりを見せているが
実際はこれまでのサミットと同じように
具体的なものは何も生み出さない会議に
なるのではないだろうか。
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If you live in Japan there is no way you can have escaped
the fact that the leaders of the richest countries in the
world will be gathering here in July for the Group of
Eight Summit. The buildup to the event even includes a
special commemorative G-8 Orion Okinawan beer can.
Japan seems to set a great deal of store in this
meeting but frankly it is irrelevant.
The eight are Japan, the United States, Britain,
France, Germany, Italy, Canada and the recent addition
of Russia. The group discusses important issues facing
the world from the economy to trouble spots and health
issues. That's all well and good. The world's most
powerful leaders should discuss what is happening in the
world and agree on concerted policies to address
global problems.
But why do it in this way? Can anyone honestly say
that their lives have been affected by the contents
of a communique that is issued at the end of the G-8
Summit? In my opinion these summits are all a massive
waste of money and time on what amounts to little more
than a huge dose of symbolic handshakes.
The Okinawa summit promises to be an even bigger
money-spinner than ever before. A special conference
center, the Bankoku Shinryokan, has been built at Nago in
Okinawa. It is right next to a luxury resort hotel and
overlooks a stunning bay of turquoise sea. But this
meeting will last just three days.
All the heads of state, their advisers, hangers-on
and journalists will have to fly to this remote corner
of Japan, and get to the conference site, which is at
least an hour and a half from the airport. In Okinawa,
they will be surrounded by a huge security operation,
treated to gorgeous banquets and given expensive
souvenirs. It probably won't be possible for the heads
of state to really enjoy their surroundings, they'll be
too busy having meetings. There's also the worry that a
typhoon could put a serious damper on the
proceedings.
But the cost of doing all that is not all. There have
been numerous pre-summits — education and environment
ministers have met in Japan, and finance ministers and
foreign ministers hold special meetings in July.
What do the taxpayers of the G-8 nations get for
their money? Big "statements" and "pledges" to do
"something" about for example this year the Internet,
AIDS, genetically modified foods and as a special
treat a vote on which G-8 leader has the best sense of
humor. The summit will see the testing of a new computer
voting system. The leaders, delegates and journalists
at the summit will be invited to vote by computer on
which leader has told the best jokes at the meeting.
The idea of the vote seems to me to reflect the
utterly frivolous nature of these summits. In the age
of the Internet, videophones and satellite links
there is no reason at all for leaders to traipse around
the world for these lavish extravaganzas.
Okinawa may benefit briefly from its moment in the
spotlight but I predict the summit as always will be
a talking session out of which nothing concrete emerges.
All that buildup for what is, in essence, a world class non-event.
Shukan ST: June 30, 2000
(C) All rights reserved
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