G8 leaders have called for renewed peace talks between Palestinians and Israeli’s on the basis of US President Obama’s vision for peace. Canada, however, successfully lobbies to have all mention of 1967 borders removed, according to Heeratz. The leaders of the G8, or “Great 8”, are meeting in Normandy to discuss the Middle East peace talks as well as the “Arab Spring” wave of democratisation in the region.
Despite supporting US Presidents Obama’s speech on the region, which called on Israel to return to 1967 borders, all mention of 1967 borders is to be omitted from the final communique.
Canada’s delegation, whose conservative government has been rigorously pro Israel, has demanded that all mention 67 borders be removed.
The leaders have called on negotiators from both sides to return to talks and to avoid unilateral moves. In a statement the group also called for the release of Gilad Shalit, the Israel soldier taken prisoner in Gaza by Hamas in 2005, as well as on Israel to ease their blockade on the Gaza strip.
The leaders have also announced a fund for democratising states in the Middle East. Associated Press say the global figure for pledges to democratising states, such as Egypt and Tunisia, would be $20 billion.
The figure would be in addition to the pledge of the IMF of up to $160 billion in external financing to help modernise the economies of those democratising states.
The group, which consists of the US, the UK, Russia, France, Germany, Canada, Japan and Italy, also called on embattled Libyan leader Colonel Gadafy to step down.
