G-8 tries to be inclusive, but wary of expansion

Giving others equal status, however, is another matter.

Host country Japan has stressed that this year's G-8 summit was the largest ever, with leaders from seven African nations, five major developing countries, the United Nations and several other international organizations in attendance.

The opening of the G-8's doors reflects criticism it had for too long remained an exclusive and somewhat isolated club representing only the wealthy industrialized world and trying to decide world policy without listening to the concerns of less powerful--and less affluent--nations.

Now, it is going out of its way to be inclusive.

The three-day talks at a mountaintop resort on the northern Japan island of Hokkaido included meetings first with the African leaders, then with the leaders of the G-5 developing countries and finally an even more expanded round of talks that brought in South Korea, Australia and Indonesia.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon was in town for the talks, along with the leaders of the World Bank, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, International Energy Agency, African Union and European Commission.

"This has been three overlapping summits," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. "The world is changing fast and we must change with it."

Next year, the expanded format will go even further.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday the next summit will devote a full day to talks with the Africans and the G-5 developing nations--India, China, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico--who together represent 42 percent of the world's population.