G-8 discuss Syria, hostage ransoms, tax evasion on last day of summit

British Prime Minister David Cameron insisted the leaders had forged a strong agreement on Syria despite a split with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but their closing statement was short on concrete steps.

There is a relatively easy solution I would think in getting Russia on board to support action against Syria. The rest of the G-8 countries would have to reimburse Russia for the lost income from arms shipments and support that the Russian's are giving to Syria and make it worth their while to stop backing the regime there.

And on another note, it seems to me that the G-8 should become at least the G10 or G11 and include China, India and Brazil as well! Those three countries are in the top ten economically and at least deserve consideration to participate.

http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/world_economies_gdp/

These G-8 summits are like the meetings of the five families in "The Godfather."

Bunch of crooks, plotting how to expand their criminal enterprises.

How about a G-9? Minus Russia, Plus India and Brazil. To reference my point yesterday, G (whatever number we pick for the top level) Countries should be democracies (REAL democracies) that actually contribute something. Just being large (China) or armed (Russia) is not enough.

G-8 (The World Gang of 8). In face to face talks, Obama and Putin said they share a common desire to end the violence in Syria. What they're not telling you is that Putin wants to end the violence period by getting the anti Assad rebels to stand down and out of the country and thereby would re -stablize Syria. Obama wants to end the violence by overthrowing Assad and putting a Muslim Brotherhood Islamic regime.

A group of 8 is correct but what are they good for? They reapeat the same each meeting in the same or similar issues and are not solving anything but creating problems that could be done with a Skype call. What a waste of Tax money for a media circus to promote Irish tourism and their display self adulation. Putin is doing wel, Japan gives reasons, Obama said nothing new! So What! No mention of environment, we will all be chocking on our own breath while the leaders are sucking our oxegen.

tax evasion or tax avoidance committed by big global corporations?

That's a huge problem of globalizations today. These global corporations move assets to offshore for tax avoidance while enjoying sweets like cockroaches.

Ironic that Obama discusses tax evasion in the North while his wife pops down to the South and has a cosy lunch with Bono, who incidentally doesn't pay tax in Ireland...

Just rhetoric, nothing will get done as usual. Tax avoidance will always flourish,its in the politicians interests to pacify big business , thats were all the donations come from. The middle east has been a disaster, all due to the meddling of the west with their foreign policies. If the truth was known they were probably discussing the security leaks, and how they can erode the rights of the people, with even more surveillance. These meetings are based upon power, and how they can control. They don't honestly care about the 99percent only the 1 percent. The worlds in a mess, more people are in the poverty bracket than ever before,more people are starving this is growing daily. Discontent is happening all over the world and it will only get a stronger voice. This is what these meetings are about, not what good they can do but how to suppress the masses.

minello7 its always been about supressing the masses, enslave them and control them.

I wonder how many Syrians really want Baby Assad to continue to be their mis-leader.

Let me add this figure to my post above. According to IRA report 2012, US multi-national corporations are hiding "fa-iiive trillion" dollars in offshore accounts. Tax Free!!

Putin bullied the whole lot of 'em. Obama cowered like the chump he is.

@ Yubaru

I'm not so sure Russia's interest in Syria is about money and weapons contracts. Likely, its more about maintaining their geostrategic interests in the region. Russia no longer has any influence in the region other than Syria. Also, Russia's only naval port outside of its own borders is in Syria. Should the U.S. fund and arm the rebels and the they succeed in toppling the Assad regime, Russia loses its lost strategic foothold in the region. Russia's connection with Iran also has a massive influence.

Money isn't going to sway Putin in the least.