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24 August 2019The fires in the Amazon burst into the themes on the G7 table that opens today in Biarritz in France, where in the first clashes 4 officers were injured and 17 people were arrested. Bolsonaro puts his hands forward: the fires do not justify "the imposition of international sanctions". And send the army. Meanwhile, Trump offers the help of the US to Brazil to fight fires. Trump attacks Macron: we tax French wines. The EU will "respond" to any duties imposed by the US on French wines, warns European Council President Tusk.

Merkel: from G7 clear message to stop the fires in the Amazon
We will see how we can support and help, and at the same time we will send a clear message so that we can do everything possible so that the Amazon stops burning. "This is the commitment that Angela Merkel lost in the weekly video message published just before leaving for Biarritz to attend the G7 summit which, at the request of the landlord Emmanuel Macron, will have the story of the fires in the Amazon at the center of the agenda. Merkel quoted Marcon in his speech stating that the French president is right when he says that " our house is on fire "stressing that this is something that cannot be silenced.

Tusk: Count a great example of loyalty in the EU
"President Giuseppe Conte was one of the best examples of loyalty in Europe. It is always difficult to defend national interests and find European solutions but I can only say positive things about him. And then he has a great sense of humor": he has said the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, at a press conference in Biarritz, before the opening of the G7.

"Trade wars will lead to recession". It is the warning of the President of the European Council on what will be one of the topics discussed in the G7. Tusk represents the EU at the summit, which will not be attended by Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, recently operated.

The EU will "respond" to any duties imposed by the US on French wines. This is the warning issued to US President Trump by Tusk. "I will protect French wine with sincere determination," said Tusk. "If the United States imposes tariffs, the European Union will respond, he added, stressing that" the last thing we need is a confrontation with our best ally, the United States, "he added." Trade war and tariff is not our initiative, but we must be ready and we are ready ".

It is "difficult to imagine the ratification of the EU-Mercosur agreement while the Amazon is burning", said the president of the EU Council. The European Union, underlined Tusk, "supports the EU-Mercosur agreement, but it is difficult to imagine a ratification process until the Brazilian government will allow the destruction" of the Amazon, he warned.

The themes on the table
At the G7 the main theme is the fight against inequalities, but the international scene is boiling with tension. What worries us is the Brexit, which is now looming, the clash with Iran over nuclear power and the new chapter of the endless war of duties between the USA and China: Beijing has announced further tariffs on 75 billion of American assets. Trump has re-launched: from October 1, the current import tariffs at 25% will rise to 30%, while the tariffs on Chinese goods imported to the US for 300 billion dollars expected from September 1 will rise from 10% to 15%. Trump also asked US companies to "bring back the productions" and the bags fell into red. The US president also confirmed his lack of love for the G7: "A waste of time going there", said CNN.

Meanwhile, the fires that are devastating the Amazon forest are reigniting the controversies between the two sides of the Atlantic, with an exchange of accusations between the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his Brazilian colleague, Jair Bolsonaro. Macron, and with him German Chancellor Merkel and British Prime Minister Johnson spoke of an "international crisis" to be discussed at the summit. Bolsonaro has accused Macron of trying to "exploit an internal question for personal political advantages" and to use a "misplaced colonial mentality in the 21st century". He then announced that he was ready to send the army, while from the Elysée came the assurance that work is being done to find "concrete" measures.

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement is also at stake: according to Macron, Bolsonaro has "lied" about his commitment to the environment and so Paris will oppose the agreement. But here Macron did not find the shore either of Brussels or of Berlin, who want to preserve it.

Johnson is the 'debutante' of this summit, the first international forum in his new capacity as British premier. October 31st, date scheduled for the exit of London from the EU, and for weeks has been repeating that it is ready for the worst scenario, the no-deal. On the backstop, the EU line does not change, but Brussels and European leaders are ready to listen to concrete London proposals. The arrival of Trump is one of the biggest unknowns for Macron, who has already ruled out a joint document at the end of the summit. A way to smooth out differences and avoid situations like last year in Canada, when Trump left in advance, tweeting the final declaration painstakingly put together.

The resigning President of the Council, Giuseppe Conte, is expected at 16.30: he will attend the coordination meeting of EU countries and will then join the other leaders for the welcome ceremony and the working dinner on 'Foreign Policy and security affairs'.

The heads of state present and the other guests
In addition to the G7 Heads of State or Government, Justin Trudeau (Canada), Angela Merkel (Germany), Giuseppe Conte (Italy), Shinzo Abe (Japan), Boris Johnson (United Kingdom) and Donald Trump (United States) USA - and the respective delegations, the 45th edition of this informal summit welcomes many guests. . Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, will be missing, hospitalized in Luxembourg after the gall bladder is removed

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank will be present; Moussa Faki Mahamat, president of the African Union Commission; Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa; Roch Marc Christian Kabore, president of Burkina Faso; Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal; Paul Kagame, president of the Republic of Rwanda; Scott Morrison, Australian Prime Minister; Pedro Sanchez, Spanish Prime Minister; Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; Sebastián Pinera, president of the Republic of Chile; David Lipton, first Deputy Director-General of the International Monetary Fund; José Angel Gurria, general secretary of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; Ricardo Azevedo, director general of the World Trade Organization; David Malpass, president of the World Bank group; Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labor Organization; Antonio Gutteres, secretary general of the United Nations. There will also be two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad; the director of the United Nations, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, president of the Advisory Council for Gender Equality, is also expected. Singer Angélique Kidjo will defend the Afawa program, designed to promote women's access to finance in Africa

Clashes between police and protesters. Some stills
The outcome of the first clashes between police and demonstrators last night in Urrugne, about twenty kilometers south of Biarritz, where one of the G7 protestors camps is located, is 17 arrests and four policemen injured. The incidents began when some protesters blocked a road and refused to release her. The four policemen were slightly injured by the firecracker explosion. 13,000 agents were mobilized for the security of the summit.