The fact that none of those taking part in the G8 could today avoid the issue of climate change already amounted to a success, Merkel told journalists in the afternoon. Nobody disputed the need for a process, although it would have to lead into a UN process. It was clear, she said, that the whole world would not immediately share the European Union's climate protection goals: "What counts is whether, at the end of this Summit, we have taken a step further. Merkel sensed a "very constructive atmosphere".

For Merkel, the focus of the G8 meeting is on how to give globalisation a human face. They had to fight poverty together, she said, to guarantee freedom of investment and not lose sight of the social dimension of globalisation. Above all, leaders had to look at how to work together to stem the tide of international conflicts.

Moving forward climate protection together

President Bush thanked the Chancellor for her leadership on the topics on the G8 agenda. He promised Merkel his co-operation in the post-Kyoto process. The Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change expires in 2012. Bush made it clear that the main task was to reduce greenhouse gases and to increase energy efficiency. "I have come here with a strong desire to work on a post-Kyoto agreement," the President said.

He also announced more support for Africa, in particular in the fight against malaria and AIDS.

Africa: Germany will keep its promises

Along with climate protection, fighting poverty in Africa is one of the main topics on the G8 agenda in Heiligendamm.

This afternoon Chancellor Merkel had a meeting with Bob Geldof and Bono, who have been politically active on Africa's behalf for a long time.

The German Chancellor again made it clear to the two rock stars that Germany will keep its development policy promises. That was why, for example, the German Government had agreed to make an additional € 750 million available for development co-operation in 2008. That is the biggest increase of all budgets.

In addition, innovative financial tools are to be used to assist Africa, for example the proceeds businesses make by auctioning off CO2 emissions certificates.

Bilateral meetings

Chancellor Merkel will be holding further bilateral meetings this afternoon. She will be talking to Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi, to the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and to Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

This continues a series of one-to-one meetings Merkel is holding with each of her seven guests. Over the course of the past few days Merkel had already met the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and her Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, in Berlin. - Source: Germany Office of the Federal Government