German G8 Summit

Talks ahead of the summit had not produced satisfactory results thus far, said Bernd Pfaffenbach, secretary of state in the economics ministry tasked with preparing the June 6-8 meeting.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel aimed to make climate change a central theme at the summit, being held under the German G8 presidency, Pfaffenbach reiterated in Berlin on Tuesday.

In his remarks, Pfaffenbach was careful not to mention the United States by name, however, it the recipient of his comments on climate change was clear.

He indicated the Germany's disappointment that the US was not yet prepared to submit to an internationally agreed climate protection regime along the lines of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which runs out in 2012.

Pfaffenbach expressed optimism that criticism and protests by non-governmental organizations, which have voiced strident protest at past G8 summits, would be muted this time.

Anti-globalization organizations are predicting that up to 100,000 demonstrators will march in the eastern German city of Rostock, while police estimate the number at half that.

Larger organizations, like Attac and Greenpeace, have committed themselves to peaceful marches, while smaller, more radical, groups have refused to rule out violent protests like that in Genoa in 2001.

Africa also high on the agenda

Merkel intended to meet NGO representatives in mid-May, and the NGOs had welcomed the fact that the chancellor also intended to place Africa high on the agenda, he said.

G8 members aimed to offer African countries a "broad political partnership" with the aim of promoting democracy and reducing corruption, Pfaffenbach said.

He stressed that money was not the solution to everything, although the industrialized countries stood by their longstanding commitments, including allocating 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product to development aid by 2012.

African countries needed to improve their governmental structures and attract more private capital, he said.

Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa have been invited to the conference, as have Brazil, China, India and Mexico.