Summits can be tedious affairs. With the final communiqué written before the event itself, they are often occasions for posturing and commitments to unrealistic goals. Furthermore, with the public now wary of summitry, they can become public relations disasters. This was the fate of the G8 summit in Okinawa last July, when debt relief for poor countries was discussed while leaders enjoyed the inordinately expensive hospitality provided by their Japanese hosts.
Summit of the Americas: Americas Advance
President George Bush will soon get a chance to demonstrate his intention to concentrate more on events in the Americas. This month’s third Summit of the Americas is a real opportunity to develop free trade in the hemisphere rather than the usual anodyne speeches and empty commitments.
