earthtimes.org 12 Apr 2007

Berlin - Germany’s opposition Greens called Thursday on their supporters to join in a demonstration against a meeting of the world’s richest nations on the Baltic coast in June. “We want to make clear our opposition to the dominant role of globalization,” Greens spokeswoman Claudia Roth said in Berlin.

She said the Greens were actively involved in preparations for the rally planned for June 2 in Rostock, four days before Group of Eight (G8) leaders meet in the nearby resort of Heiligendamm.

Roth called on summit participants to take concrete decisions on climate protection and disarmament, adding that US plans for a missile defence shield in Europe should also be on the agenda.

Germany plans the biggest police operation in its history to protect the leaders of Britain, Canada, the US, Italy, France, Japan, Russia and the host nation during the three-day summit.

A total of 16,000 police will be deployed and a 13-kilometre-long, 2.5-metre-high welded-mesh fence topped with barbed wire has already been built round the summit venue, 20 kilometres from Rostock.

An expected 100,000 demonstrators are expected for the anti- globalization rally, but will not permitted be to approach the fence, which cost 12.5 million euros (16.6 million dollars).

To stop anyone attacking the summit from above, an aerial exclusion zone with a radius of 50 kilometres from the summit hotel will be imposed.

A small naval exclusion zone will be declared offshore in mid-May and this will be extended on June 3 to embrace nearly 21 kilometres of coast up to 11 kilometres from the white-sand beach.

Posted : Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:12:01GMT