Italy in the G8
As a sign of the determination to impart a fresh boost to areas struck by the earthquake on 6 April, the Italian Cabinet proposed to shift the upcoming G8 Summit from the island of La Maddalena, in Sardinia, to Abruzzo.
In the next few days the website will be gradually updated on the new events.
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Italy will hold the G8 Presidency this year and will host the 35th Summit on the Sardinian island of La Maddalena from 8 to 10 July.
The first meeting of the group of the major industrialised countries was held in Rambouillet, France, in 1975, at the invitation of then President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. Prime Minister Aldo Moro attended on Italy’s behalf.
The Italian G8 Summits:
1st Summit: 22 - 23 June 1980 in Venice (G7)
(Prime Minister: Francesco Cossiga)
The agenda of the first Italian Summit, held in 1980, featured predominantly economic items: bringing inflation under control, monetary policy, trade and the energy issue. The talks also covered relations with the developing countries, refugees and security. The “hostage crisis” in Iran and international terrorism also gave rise to two distinct statements, one on the diplomatic hostages and the other on hi-jackings. A communiqué criticising the Soviet troops’ occupation of Afghanistan was also approved.
2nd Summit: 8 - 10 June 1987 in Venice (G7)
(Prime Minister: Amintore Fanfani)
The agenda was broadened at the second Venice Summit, held in 1987. In addition to the traditional economic and regional security issues, topics such as the AIDS pandemic, countering the proliferation of drugs, East-West relations, the Iran-Iraq war and international terrorism were addressed.
3rd Summit: 8 - 10 July 1994 in Naples (G7)
(Prime Minister: Silvio Berlusconi)
The third Italian Summit was held in Naples in 1994 and was attended for the first time by the Russian Federation, with President Yeltsin taking part in the capacity of observer. The topics addressed were largely economic, such as employment, growth, trade and development. Environment-related issues, nuclear safety, the former Soviet bloc countries’ transition to democracy and the joint war on organised crime and money laundering were also discussed.
4th Summit: 20 - 22 July 2001 in Genoa
(Prime Minister: Silvio Berlusconi)
The fourth Italian Summit was held in Genoa in 2001, and it was the first time that Italy hosted the G8 in its new, enlarged form taking in Russia, which had joined the leaders’ group as a full-fledged member back in 1997. On the second day of the summit, the eight leaders issued a joint statement voicing sorrow at the death of a young demonstrator and firmly deploring the violence that had broken out during the protests staged against it. The topics discussed and cited in the final statement comprised the reduction of poverty and the developing countries’ debt, regional security issues, the opportunities held out by digital technology, the environment, food security, employment and the wars on transnational organised crime and drugs.
