G7 agrees to fight unfair trade practices
TRUMP TO DECIDE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE PACT
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came out of the G7 summit Saturday calling it a success, even though the United States did not commit to the Paris climate accord.
“Obviously, any new administration or any new government is going to have its own approach and its own priorities,” Trudeau told reporters. “I think the value of the G7 is we do get to have honest and robust exchanges and talk about where we’re going and how we’re going to get there together.”
The six-page final communique from the summit says six of the leaders, including Canada, agreed to stand by their commitment to implement the Paris Agreement.
“We respect President Trump’s choice to reflect further on their engagements around climate change and the Paris accord,” Trudeau said. “But what I made very, very clear ... is that you cannot build a strong economic future for your citizens, for your country unless you are at the same time protecting and mindful of the environment.”
The communique notes that the Americans are “not in a position to join consensus” on climate change. Shortly before the communique came out, Trump issued a tweet saying he would make his “final decision” on the Paris Agreement next week.
The G7 leaders have agreed to keep fighting protectionism, a win for the six countries that had been pushing Trump to come around to their view of free trade.
The leaders acknowledged Trump’s stance on trade and the communique includes a statement that the leaders will keep markets open, but “stand firm against all unfair trade practices.”
“We commit to adopting appropriate policies so that all firms and citizens can make the most of opportunities offered by the global economy,” it says.
Trudeau and Trump also met for an informal chat on the sidelines of the summit.
Trudeau told reporters that he and Trump have reaffirmed their commitment to the deep economic relationship between Canada and the U.S.
“There’s always opportunities to do more on trade, always opportunities to improve on trade deals,” Trudeau said. “We certainly agreed that the benefits this relationship over time and into the future in creating good jobs, in creating economic growth on both sides of the border needs to be focused on and maintained.”
Britain reduced its terrorism threat level a notch, from “critical” to “severe” on Saturday, as authorities said they had made major progress in unravelling the plot behind the Manchester concert bombing.
But police said more arrests were expected, and security was tight across Britain as hundreds of thousands of people attended major soccer matches, concerts and other big holiday-weekend events.
Police made two more arrests in Manchester on Saturday on suspicion of terrorism offences, bringing the number of suspects in custody to 11. All are men, aged between 18 and 44. I
British Prime Minister Theresa May said “a significant amount of police activity” and several arrests had led to the level being lowered. But she urged Britons to remain vigilant.