EU and the Seoul summit

Never before as on this occasion have the most urgent and thorny problems that disturb the sleep of the political leaders – and the citizens – of the five continents landed on the table of the G20. The summit of the world’s most powerful nations, being held in Seoul, is in fact called to sort out the problems of the global economic crisis, and seek a “framework” for recovery and “balanced and sustainable” growth. Also on the G20’s order of the day are the reform of the international financial institutions, accords on world trade (in an anti-protectionism key), and the issues of energy and climate change (Cancún Conference in Mexico). But the chess game being played in the South Korean capital began long before the 11-12 November, official dates of the G20 summit. US President Obama has written a letter to the other participants (Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and the European Union), announcing his own commitment to lasting growth, a development that takes account not only of the interests of the stronger and richer countries, the beefing up of controls on financial markets, and the protection of the environment. The other participants too have set out their own vision on how to tackle current challenges, though having care to emphasize, as ever, their own “point of view”: the Western powers, the new protagonists on the global economic scene, and the nations that report sharp imbalances, or retardation, in development, are all converging on Seoul.So the words of Benedict XVI, recalling the responsibilities of the big powers, seem a timely reminder not just to consider one’s own national interest and to go beyond present scenarios. “The world’s attention focuses on you and it expects that appropriate solutions wiIl be adopted to overcome the crisis, with common agreements which will not favor some countries at the expense of others”, says the Holy Father in his Message on the eve of the summit: “The summit seeks solutions to quite complex questions, on which the future of upcoming generations depends and which therefore require the cooperation of the entire international community, based on the acknowledgement – which is shared and agreed by all peoples – of the primary and central value of human dignity, the final objective of the choices themselves”. The economy becomes, in this vision, not the end, but a means at the service of humanity, bearing in mind the principles of solidarity and justice that ought to preside over political and economic decisions.The words expressed by the Pope in his Message are all the more necessary, if one considers the disparities in view that, even on the eve of the summit, still separate the main protagonists of the G20, namely the USA and China. The question of currency depreciation, posed by Obama himself and by Chinese President Hu Jintao in their bilateral relations, could not disguise the fact that they have conflicting positions on various other levels: monetary, commercial, energetic, environmental and, not least, political. “No one can aim at a form of economic growth that is to the detriment of others”, summed up the President of the EU Commission, José Manuel Barroso, who is one of the protagonists at Seoul. His words were echoed by his “European colleague”, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the EU Council: “Never as in this moment do we feel in our countries the effect of the economic decisions and developments of other countries. The financial and economic crisis has highlighted our interdependence and our vulnerabilities”. “The stakes are high – continued Van Rompuy – for the credibility of the G20 and of each of its members”; and, even more so, for the good of mankind as a whole – and especially the “least” of the planet – and of the next generations.