Alternative Reality at the Summit

NYT Editorial

Pressing problems surrounded the leaders of eight of the world’s leading nations as they met in St. Petersburg, Russia, earlier this week. Oil prices soared over $70 a barrel. War was spreading in the Middle East. Iran was dodging straight answers about its nuclear programs. And trade talks neared breakdown over subsidies to rich farmers.

There could hardly have been a better moment for the annual meeting of the Group of 8 to prove its worth. Instead, it showed how pointless and embarrassing these gatherings have become.

It did not take an awkwardly open microphone to display the huge gap between the summit meeting’s communiqués and political reality. The entire weekend was an ill-disguised exercise in evasion on the major issues. The jet fuel wasted transporting everyone to St. Petersburg probably outweighed any positive contributions to global energy security.

In fact, there was not much forward movement on that very issue, which was supposed to be the central theme. The leaders of eight of the biggest energy consumers might have come up with fresh ideas for a world in which oil is increasingly in demand and increasingly costly. They could have done more to address urgent needs like making supply lines more secure, reducing consumption through efficiency and finding alternatives to fossil fuels.

On the Middle East, they uttered familiar platitudes and displayed familiar differences between Washington and Europe. What should have jolted them out of these familiar patterns was the alarming ability to start international conflicts that radical Islamist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas have now shown. It will take more than a cease-fire to contain that threat. It will take a concerted international show of diplomatic and economic muscle.

Somewhat more consideration was given to the Iranian nuclear problem. Most of the G-8 countries have united behind a proposal now being considered in Tehran, backed up by a threat of Security Council action. But Iran seems in no rush to respond and still counts on exploiting international differences. The leaders needed to be working out their next steps.

The faltering trade talks have apparently been written off by top leaders, none of whom seem willing to challenge their farm lobbies. There is too much at stake to let these talks fail, which would mean walking away from promises repeatedly made to Africa and other poor regions whose chances for development depend on fair access to agricultural markets. Without such development, fighting international terrorism will be harder. So will be winning the market concessions that rich countries seek for service industries and investors.

It was awkward for Western and Japanese leaders to pretend that their host, President Vladimir Putin, was committed to making Russia a full-fledged democracy. But it might have been worth the embarrassment if the assembled leaders had actually come up with some serious joint initiatives for addressing the problems that beset their countries and the world. Maybe next year.