What he'll get North Korea will be mentioned in summit documents tomorrow. Koizumi is a major ally of George Bush - illustrated by his decision to send troops to war in Iraq - even at the cost of his own popularity, which has halved since he came to power four years ago. So Berlusconi will support Blair's summit goals on Africa and climate change. What he'll get Will not be in trouble on summit issues: despite the success of the Rome Live8 concert, Africa is not a major domestic priority. Being seen in the company of Bush and the other G8 leaders could highlight his qualities as a statesman at a time when his popularity is in decline. The reality? Italy, now in recession, will find it tough to follow through on meeting the European and UN target on overseas development aid, and the Italian finance ministry has refused to agree the EU timetable.
Jacques Chirac, France What he wants Wants the summit to go beyond debt cancellation and aid. Will push for recognition of a French proposal for air levy as a way to finance development. He also wants to stick to the 2013 deadline for renegotiating EU farm subsidies. Wants references to Kyoto and scientific consensus on climate change. What he'll get Will probably have to yield to get compromise on climate change in the face of US opposition. Possible deal on airline ticket levy to free up funds, but negotiations will go to the wire. The reality? Other countries may not be in the mood to listen to Chirac, knowing that he has been humiliated politically at home by the rejection of the EU constitution.
Relations with Blair, the G8 host, are at a low after Chirac's gaffe on the quality of British food and the bitter contest over hosting the 2012 Olympics. Junichiro Koizumi, Japan What he wants Has told Blair Japan will double aid to Africa over next three years, and will also offer support on climate change, having hosted the Kyoto protocols. Silvio Berlusconi, Italy What he wants Always aligns himself with Bush and Blair, and the G8 Summit will be no exception. Attention will focus on the new money in the aid pledges, while talks on trade and climate change will go to the wire. The reality? Aid agencies are already saying the summit will fall short of the response needed to tackle global poverty.