Aláírták az újabb ENSZ határozatot az Iraki szuverenításról, és másnapra kezdődtek a problémák. Bush és Blair a NATO Iraki szerepvállalásáról beszélt, de Chirac jelezte, hogy szerinte a NATO nem kéne Irakban védekezzen, továbbá nyugtalanítja a Bush-féle gazdaságpolitika, az Usák költségvetési és kereskedelmi deficit - szerinte ezek veszélyeztetik a világgazdaságot.

Ellentétek az Irak 120 milliárd dolláros adóssága körül. Megegyeztek az adósság egy "jelentős" részének elengedésében - számokat nélkül. Usákia elképzelései szerint az adósság 90%-át kéne elengedni, de Franciaország, Oroszország és Kanada ezt sokallja.
Putyin elengedné az adósságok 65%-át, de ennek feltétele, hogy az orosz olajcégek visszakapják a háború előtti olajkoncessziókat.
"a mi rugalmasságunk az Usák rugalmasságának függvénye" mondotta Putyin Bushnak.

G8 harmony dissolves, US-France spats back

But just one day after France signed up to a US-sponsored resolution at the United Nations (news - web sites) on Iraqi sovereignty, the fractious allies were at loggerheads again -- on a handful of issues.

They clashed on NATO (news - web sites)'s role in Iraq, after Bush called for a greater presence of the Western alliance in the occupation.

"We will work with our NATO friends to at least continue the role that now exists and hopefully expand it somewhat," Bush said after meeting top ally British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites).

"There's going to be some constraints, obviously. A lot of NATO countries are not in a position to commit any more troops; we fully understand that."

Facing a knife-edge reelection battle, Bush wants to ease the plight of US troops, many of whom are reservists or on extended tours as they battle a vicious insurgency.

But French President Jacques Chirac, a fierce critic of Bush's decision to invade Iraq, threw up an immediate roadblock.

"I do not think that it is NATO's job to intervene in Iraq," Chirac said.

"Moreover, I do not have the feeling that it would be either timely or necessarily well understood," said Chirac.

"I see myself with strong reservations on this initiative."

Although the United States, Britain and other NATO members have troops in Iraq, the alliance has no formal role in the country. Some NATO members like Canada, France and Germany have declined to send troops.

Chirac also had pointed criticism for Bush's economic policies, warning yawning US trade and budget deficits could dampen world economic prospects.

He said he and some other leaders worried about the "possible consequences of the large US budget and trade deficit for the future and notably on interest rate developments."

US-France spats overshadowed a display of unity put on by smiling leaders, zipping to talks at a plush east coast resort in hi-tech golf buggies.

Discord also surfaced over the issue of Iraq's mountainous debt, with European states resisting US calls to quickly forgive almost all of it.

A French official, who asked not to be named, said the G8 had agreed to forgive a "substantial" part of Iraq's 120-billion-dollar debt but had not set a precise figure.

The United States is pushing for up to 90 percent to be canceled but countries like France, Russia and Canada are unwilling to go so far.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) is ready to cancel 65 percent of the Iraqi debt and is also linking the move to the ability of his country's businesses to operate in Iraq, a Russian official said.

He quoted Putin as telling Bush that "our flexibility will depend on yours and the capacity of our businesses to work in Iraq."