Kashmir, Venezuela to top list of Trump’s agenda at G7 meetings - US Official
Washington, Aug 23 (Sputnik/UNI) US President Donald Trump will discuss a range of issues during bilateral meetings with world leaders of the G7 Summit including the situations in Kashmir, and Russian gas supplies to Europe, a senior US administration official told reporters.
The G7 talks between some world leaders will take place in Biarritz, France on August 24-26.
The official said on Thursday that Trump will hold bilateral meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trump and Merkel are expected to discuss on the margins of the G7 Summit concerns over Europe's reliance on Russian natural gas supplies, the official said.
"They [Trump and Merketl] will also be covering energy security and the importance of diminishing European reliance on Russian gas sources," the official said.
Trump and Johnson will discuss the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union and the possibility of negotiating a US-UK bilateral trade deal, the official said.
Trump while at the G7 meeting will want to hear Modi's plan to reduce tensions over Kashmir, the official said. Both leaders will also discuss trade matters as the United States seeks to have India reduce import tariffs in order to open its market to US goods and services, the official said.
In the bilateral meeting with Macron, Trump will raise concerns on France's digital tax that will affect US companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook, the official said. The two leaders will also discuss mutual security concerns in the Middle East and North Africa and how to jointly approach those issues, the official said.
Trump and Abe will focus on trade, however, regional security concerns may come up as well, the official said.
Trump and Trudeau are expected to discuss the issue of increasing pressure on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the situation in Hong Kong.
World leaders during the upcoming G7 Summit may discuss getting Russia to rejoin the G8, an official said.
On Wednesday, Trump said he would favor Russia rejoining the G8 since most of the discussions at the G7 meetings involved the country.
White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told reporters later in the day that at Trump's urging the G7 will hold a formal session on trade and the economy on Saturday.
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