Calls grow within G8 to expel Italy as summit plans descend into chaos

[Joanne98]

Preparations for Wednesday's G8 summit in the Italian mountain town of L'Aquila have been so chaotic there is growing pressure from other member states to have Italy expelled from the group, according to senior western officials.

In the last few weeks before the summit, and in the absence of any substantive initiatives on the agenda, the US has taken control. Washington has organised "sherpa calls" (conference calls among senior officials) in a last-ditch bid to inject purpose into the meeting.

"For another country to organise the sherpa calls is just unprecedented. It's a nuclear option," said one senior G8 member state official. "The Italians have been just awful. There have been no processes and no planning."

"The G8 is a club, and clubs have membership dues. Italy has not been paying them," said a European official involved in the summit preparations.

The behind-the-scenes grumbling has gone as far as suggestions that Italy could be pushed out of the G8 or any successor group. One possibility being floated in European capitals is that Spain, which has higher per capita national income and gives a greater percentage of GDP in aid, would take Italy's place.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/06/g8-considers-expelling-italy

[Blue_Tires]

1. wow...this could get ugly

[grantcart]

2. I am surprised to learn that they are in the G8 - G20 maybe but G8??

[Recursion]

3. "Sherpa calls"?

I'm trying to figure out the etymology of that one. Looking at it I would assume that was conference calls between the executive assistants to high-level figures.