Brown to lead EU-G8 mission to Middle East


AFP
 Date: 09-26-05

BRIGHTON, England (AFP) - Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown is to lead a joint EU-G8 mission to the Middle East in October to promote economic reconstruction to bolster the Israel-Palestinian peace process.

His trip, confirmed by the Treasury in London, will raise the chancellor of the exchequer's international profile as he positions himself to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister and Labour Party leader.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, published Monday, Brown said: "I have talked to the Israeli finance ministry and I hope we can make a contribution that will recognise that a strong and fair economy can lower the amount of violence and underpin development."

"In the Palestinian Authority area unemployment is 30 percent and maybe more. The area needs to grow by 10 percent a year for many years if we are going to tackle unemployment and poverty."

Britain currently holds the rotating presidency of both the European Union and the Group of Eight leading industrialised nations.

Brown travelled through Africa earlier this year in a campaign against global poverty, but has otherwise kept a low profile on international issues, notably on Britain's participation in the Iraq war.

Source

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