G20 leaders open summit in London to tackle financial crisis

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-02 17:06

LONDON - Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) industrialized and emerging economies kicked off their one-day discussion in London on Thursday and are expected to issue a joint communique for a global solution to the financial and economic crisis.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown (L) greets US President Barack Obama as he arrives for the G20 summit at the ExCel centre, in east London April 2, 2009. [Agencies]

The summit started by a breakfast scheduled at 8:30 am local time after the leaders were greeted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the entrance of London's exhibition center, or ExCel London, in eastern London.

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Security is tight around the venue. Police can be seen at every crossroads within about five kilometers. Journalists have to pass through two security checkpoints to get to the press center, where about 2200 registered journalists work and many of them stayed for the night.

Outside the Excel, anti-capitalist protesters started their second day of protests. On Wednesday, at least 87 were arrested and one protester died, London's police said.

Brown, the host, who made a global trip and met the leaders to prepare for the summit, said he was confident that the summit will produce consensus on a global plan for economic recovery and reform. "We are within a few hours, I think, of agreeing a global plan for economic recovery and reform and I think the significance of this is that we are looking at every aspect," Brown said on the eve of the summit.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (4th L, 1st row) and other leaders attending the Group of 20 summit pose for group photos during a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in London, Britain, on April 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

The leaders are expected to have a busy day of intensive talks. A joint communique will be issued at the end of the summit. Expectations are high that the leaders of the world's largest economies would be committed to a coordinated response to the economic crisis, an overhaul of the global financial architecture and restraint from protectionism.

Attending the meeting are leaders from Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, Turkey, the United States and the European Union (EU).

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