Prime Minister Stephen Harper today made the following remarks on the closing of the G-8 Summit:
"Greetings, everyone. We had a very successful summit. We have refocused the G-8 on its strengths: development, peace and of course global security challenges. The G-8 has committed an additional $5 billion US over the next five years, and with our partners, as I mentioned yesterday, bringing the total to $7.3 billion on the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Accountability will be the key as we move forward, and as you know, we've put increased emphasis on that.
"We also discussed a further range of global challenges, nuclear proliferation, Iran, the implementation of sanctions foreseen by resolution, United Nations resolution 1929, also North Korea and the Cheonan incident. The governments of Iran and North Korea have chosen to acquire weapons to threaten their neighbours. The world must see to it that what they spend on these weapons will not be the only cost that they incur. We've also discussed Afghanistan, Pakistan, governance, stability in that particular region, of course the Middle East and climate change. It is essential that the G-8 keep its promises going forward. This is essential to the credibility and effectiveness of this forum as an organization.
"The G-8 has been reshaped and reenergized. Its members share common objectives in the world, and of course, now I look forward to meeting my colleagues of the G-20 in Toronto.."
