Blair and Merkel Meet Before G8

Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin ahead of this week's G8 summit. He welcomed a US commitment to become part of a global agreement on climate change. In addition, he said a critical topic would be Africa and sticking to commitments made in 2005 at the Gleneagles G8 summit. This week's gathering will take place in Heiligendamm today. Mr. Blair wants a framework to be drawn up with the "plus five" states - China, India, South Africa, Brazil and Mexico - for action to tackle gobal warming, to replace the Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which expire in 2013.