Iran must disclose more about nuclear program

Camp David: Group of Eight leaders agreed in their initial discussions at Camp David on Friday that Iran needs to disclose more about its nuclear ambitions and that it was time to focus on a political transition in Syria, a US official said.

The leaders also stressed the importance of having North Korea adhere to international norms with its nuclear program and said it would face more isolation if it "continues down the path of provocation," the official said.

The Friday evening dinner, hosted by US President Barack Obama, was the first opportunity for the G8 leaders to discuss global security concerns. They will talk about the euro zone crisis and other economic issues, including oil market pressures at the summit on Saturday.

New French President Francois Hollande, participating at the G8 summit for the first time, demonstrated "good unity" related to Iran, as did Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, according to the official.

The Camp David summit comes days before the next round of Iran talks, to be held in Baghdad. The G8 leaders "affirmed the importance of having a uniform effort in approaching those Baghdad talks next week," the US official said.

"Each of the leaders noted the urgency for Iran to take concrete steps to assure the international community of the peaceful purpose of its (nuclear) program," the official said.

On the crackdown by Damascus, the official described broad agreement on "the need to move rapidly toward a plan for political transition within Syria."

Hollande shows up in tie at tieless G8 summit

New French President Hollande was the only foreign leader who showed up at a Group of Eight summit in Maryland wearing a tie, a fact that did not remain unnoticed by Obama.

"Francois, we said you could take off the tie," Obama noted as Hollande came walking up. "For my press," responded the French leader. "For your press you must look good," Obama pointed out.

Later on Friday, the White House released an official photo of the dinner, which showed Hollande sitting next to Obama without a tie.
 
Obama puts weight behind Europe growth push

Obama threw his weight behind French calls more pro-growth policies in Europe.

Fearing Europe's crisis is poised worsen - with dangerous repercussions for the US economy and perhaps Obama's chances of re-election - Obama risked the ire of German Chancellor Angela Merkel who has championed an austerity-first approach.

Shortly before welcoming Merkel and other leaders to his famed presidential retreat outside Washington, Obama noted that events in Europe held "extraordinary" importance for the United States.

The G8 needed to discuss "a responsible approach to fiscal consolidation that is coupled with a strong growth agenda," he said.

To kick-off the summit a tie-free Obama greeted leaders shortly after dusk at the threshold of his wood cabin for an informal dinner.

But the dressed-down atmosphere did little to relieve tensions, which have been stoked by the belief that two-years of painful cuts demanded by Germany and others have undercut Greek growth and made recovery more difficult.

In what may have been a telling moment, Obama greeted Merkel at his Laurel Lodge with a cordial: "How've you been?" When her response came: a shrug and pursed lips, Obama conceded: "Well, you have a few things on your mind."

The recent clobbering of Greek parties that back austerity measures under the country's 173-billion-euro ($220 billion) bailout has sparked a fresh round of market panic and left the two-year-old effort to prevent a Greek default on life support.

Fresh Greek polls are scheduled for June 17, but there is no certainty that supporters of the painful reforms will win, and already nervous Greeks have been pulling money from bank accounts.

If anti-austerity parties win, the markets are already betting that the rest of Europe turns off the bailout spigot, a decision that would force a Greek default and would likely spell an exit from the eurozone.

So far, European leaders are insisting that Greece must meet its commitments, a stance that will likely be held until the elections. But a row is brewing over whether Greece's bailout package needs to be revisited.