SelectPlusG-8 Summit Opens With African FocusG-8 Summit Opens With African FocusThe Associated PressPresident Bush is attending his last G-8 where the focus of the first day of meetings is Africa. Climate change and the global food crisis are also expected to top the agenda at the annual summit. (July 7)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] ((Bush yakking with other G8 leaders at African session))BUSH SOT: "Amigo!" (under) For President Bush, his last G8 summit was a chance to shoot the breeze with old friends. BUSH SOT: (back up): "Ber-loo-SKOH!-nee" Italy's Silvio Berlusconi lost power in part because he backed Bush on Iraq. NOW he's back in office. ((Other leaders gather footage))But as the G8 leaders convened at a resort in northern Japan... ((dissolve to Medvedev meeting))... the president ALSO had NEW friends to size up, like Russia's Dmitri Medvedev, Vladimir Putin's handpicked successor as president. ((Bush&Putin file))When Bush first met Putin, he famously looked in the Russian leader's soul.((Back to today))This time, the view was less revealing.BUSH SOT: You know, I'm not going to sit here and psychoanalyze the man, but I will tell you that he's very comfortable, he's confident, and that I believe that when he tells me something, he means it. ((Back to Medvedev))And Medvedev told Bush just what Putin used to say ...((File footage missile defense))... the European missile defense Bush wants to build threatens Russia.((Leaders with Africans))The first summit session was with African leaders. Previous G8's have pledged big aid increases. But the Africans say there's been more talk than action.((Nighy pointing at protest sign))Actor Billy Nighy is among those in Japan to make that point.NIGHY SOT: We simply want them to not to renege on those promises and to keep it up to schedule. At the moment, they are disastrously behind schedule. ((File footage Mugabe))Meantime, Bush was turning up the heat on Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe -- saying by rigging his re-election, he's earned yet more sanctions.BUSH: I am extremely disappointed in the elections, which I have labeled a sham election.((Shot of Tanzanian President Kikwete, who was with Bush))However, Mugabe's African neighbors think sanctions aren't the way to go.((Tea ceremon))And while G8 spouses were studying harmony in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony ...((More leaders mingling))... LEADERS at the fog-shrouded resort were preparing to take up the contentious issue of global warming. With Bush and the others at odds on how to curb it ... ((Summit venue with FOG/RAIN/HAZE)) ... aides wonder if this summit will be a "foggy mountain breakdown."MS, AP, AT THE G8 SUMMIT, TOYAKO, Japan Author: AssociatedPress Keywords: 8-summit g-8 summit opens african focus Added: July 7, 2008
