U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is in Paris to meet with his counterparts from other top industrialized countries. VOA-TV’s Jim Bertel reports the meeting will lay the groundwork for next month’s G-8 summit in Evian, France.
Foreign ministers from the group of eight – the seven leading industrialized nations plus Russia - are expected to focus on the reconstruction of Iraq, terrorism and weapons proliferation.
Secretary Powell spoke to reporters at the French chamber of commerce on Thursday.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY GENERAL
“I look forward later this afternoon and the course of this evening's conversations and tomorrow to talk to my G8 colleagues about matters of interest, regional issues, Iran, North Korea, where we are with respect to Iraq, and also other transnational issues: countering the flow of drugs from central Asia, and a range of issues you would expect such a group to deal with."
On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the Bush administration hopes the G-8’s June summit will help clear away lingering friction over the war in Iraq.
RICHARD BOUCHER , U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN
“To the extent that we had some differences with some of them, we’ll see how much they want to cooperate and move forward with the G-8 in accomplishing some of the goals that we think we still share.”
The group of 8 includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Russia.