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If the Denver Summit of the Eight is to be a succes it must meet the specified 19 objectives listed below, in order of priority.
G7 members will seek to promote development by placing a greater emphasis on integrating the developing world, particularly Africa, into the world economy through the liberalisation of trade and investment. In recent years, official development assistance, as provided by members of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD has declined to $59 B, while global private sector capital flows reached as high as $250 B in 1996. As Africa receives only 10% of these private sector resources, and accounts for only 1% of international export totals, there is clearly room for growth. G7 members will stress the promotion of peace and stability, good governance and the combating of corruption in the developing world, as they are aware that such an environment is a precondition for an expansion of private sector investment and trade in poorer countries.
Prepared by: Jason Krausert and Suzanne Murphy
Climate Change
The leaders will agree to work together to enhance international efforts to further develop global systems for monitoring climate change and other environmental trends in order to continue strengthening scientific support for international action.
The leaders may seek to adopt quantified, legally binding emissions targets that provide for emissions limitations and significant and realistic emissions reductions within specified time frames. If these targets are achieved, the leaders will likely stress the importance of setting up an appropriate mechanism for monitoring and ensuring compliance among the parties.
Forests
There is a critical need for immediate action to implement the proposals agreed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests.
Fresh Water
There will be a push to launch a process aimed at developing a global program of action on fresh water. The primary aim of this initiative is making safe drinking water and sanitation available to all the world's population.
Prepared by: Ella Kolotsis and Allison Smith.
Two prominent issues pertaining to Asia will likely arise at the Denver Summit: the handover of Hong Kong back to China; and security in the Korean peninsula.
To be a collective success, the Summit of the Eight would need to recognize the importance of Asian issues in the Communiqué and/or the Chairman's Statement. Even better would be if Asian issues take priority over other regional issues.
The imminent handover of Hong Kong is a timely issue. We should expect a statement urging China to continued economic freedom and prosperity in Hong Kong and to maintain civil liberties, in accordance with the Basic Law of 1980 signed by China and Britain.
The Korean peninsula has been an ongoing summit issue in the past. This issue will likely arise again. A statement regarding the Korean peninsula would encourage ongoing dialogue between North and South Korea regarding reunification, as well as encourage the speedy start of the Four Party talks. Furthermore, it would encourage the international community to contribute aid to North Korea via multi-lateral institutions.
Prepared by: Elizabeth Adams, Wendy Kwok
The G-8 must reaffirm its support for the Bosnian peace process. More specifically, because civil implementation has not been as successful as anticipated, the G-8 must exert greater pressure upon the Parties to comply immediately with their Dayton Peace Accord obligations -- failure of which should be met with repercussions by the G-8.
Prepared by: Natalie Armstrong
IFS International Financial Stability
The G-7 member countries must continue to maintain the momentum on IMF reform as it has proceeded thus far. This must include enhancing long-term growth potential through market opening measures, clarifying the Fund's role in promoting freedom of capital flows, and increasing the Fund's capacity to prevent financial crisis through enhanced surveillance and transparency of policies and operations. Of paramount importance should be G-7 assurance of adequate resources available to the IMF.
Prepared by: Ina Kota and Eleni Maniatis.
For a successful summit on the issue of trade, The leaders must deal with three issues of importance:
1. Completion of the Uruguay Round.
Called for in the Lyon Communiqué, The Uruguay Round has suffered two set backs to the scheduled timetable. The Maritime Agreement and the Agreement on Financial Services have both gone off-schedule, damaging what has thus far been a successful execution of the agreement. The leaders must make clear their intentions to return to this process.
2. Call for a new trade round.
There has been a request, most recently reiterated in the Finance Ministers Communiqué in May, for a "Millennium Round" of trade talks. This type of approach to dealing with under-regulated areas of trade is seen as productive and can serve as an excellent complement to the current WTO processes.
3. Addition of Russia to the WTO.
This seems imminent as Russia has become a full member for this Summit and to reward Russian co-operation on NATO. A successful Summit would state the timetable and conditions of Russian acceptance which should been the same requirements expected of all WTO members. The further below the normal requirements, the less effective the Communiqué.
Prepared by: Mike D'Abramo
The leaders of the Summit of the Eight will seek a reaffirmation of the importance of establishing an international regime of nuclear liability as well as reiterating the necessity of preparing an international convention on the safety of radioactive waste management – especially in anticipation of full Russian participation.
Prepared by: Cindy Blazevic
There will emerge from Denver a broad commitment for greater cooperation among the G-7 nations to combat outbreaks of infectious diseases (ie. Ebola) and the creation of a working group to create an AIDS strategy by Birmingham. There will also be a commitment to step up the fight against AIDS through research and follow the general unilateral commitment made by Clinton to defeat AIDS within the next decade.
Prepared by: Aron Halpern
Global Information Infrastructure
The G-7 member countries must take the necessary steps to mobilize Information Technology (IT) on the ground in developing countries (mainly Africa) in order to ensure that these countries are not shut out from the emerging information society.
This objective constitutes a follow-up from the Information Society and Development (ISAD) meeting in Midrand, South Africa, May 1996. At this ISAD meeting the developed and developing world basically agreed that the GIS is inevitable and necessary, but they could not agree on appropriate measures to bring IT to Africa.
Prepared by: Rebecca Goldfarb
 
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