The G8 receives a score of 0.25 on the issue of post-START talks due to its failure to address key areas of the negotiations. Negotiations to create a post-START framework received little mention in the Statement on Non-Proliferation. G8 leaders welcomed the Joint Statement made by the leaders of Russia and the US on the eve of the Summit as well as their intention to conclude negotiations before the START Treaty expires in December 2009. However, particular details on the substance of the treaty or current negotiations were not addressed in the communiqué.

The G8 receives a score of 0.25 for reaffirming its commitment to a consolidated nuclear non-proliferation regime. The G8 stressed that NPT “remains the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime.” Although they endorsed a “constructive and balanced approach” to the review process of the NPT, they failed to discuss any near-term steps towards achieving the successful renewal of the NPT at the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

The G8 condemned “in the strongest terms” the three missile tests conducted by the DPRK in 2009, stressing that North Korea’s escalation of nuclear activities posed “a danger to peace and stability in the region and beyond.” The leaders urged North Korea to fully comply with its international obligations, including verification of its nuclear activities and return to the Six-Party Talks. Thus, the G8 receives a score of 1 for sending a strong message to North Korea.

The G8 receives a score of 0.75 for statements on Iran, without agreeing on imposing more sanctions onto the Islamic Republic. In their statement on political issues, the G8 urged Iran to meet its NPT, UN, and IAEA obligations “without further delay,” maintaining the need to find a diplomatic solution on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program. However, the leaders did not suggest further UN Security Council sanctions be imposed. This G8 Summit leads in to the UN General Assembly opening in September 2009 where leaders will decide whether to take further action on Iran.

France has been considerably successful in pursuing its food security objectives at the 2009 L'Aquila Summit. Notably, the G8 has pledged to act on an improved global governance for food security through the implementation of the Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security by the end of 2009. Though this implies a considerably effective timeframe for the establishment of a global partnership on food security, the problem of managing essential foodstuffs is not tied in such a way.

Although the G8 resolved to “implement the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development,” rather than committing new financing towards an African development initiative or action plan, the G8 member states reaffirmed the commitment they made at the 2005 Gleneagles Summit. They have reiterated this same commitment at the 2007 Heligendamm and 2008 Hokkaido-Toyako Summits. The leaders also committed to the Accra Action Plan (AAA), which aims to ensure the quality and effectiveness of donor aid.

France has registered a score of 0.25, as no new commitments or initiatives relevant to France’s objectives on climate change have been announced. Although G8 leaders have reaffirmed their willingness to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 per cent by 2050, no base levels were set. The European Union’s 20-20-20 Plan was not discussed. However, the leaders supported the goal of reducing GHG emissions “in aggregate by 80 per cent or more by 2050 compared to 1990 or more recent years.”

France has been somewhat successful in pursuing its energy security objectives at the 2009 L'Aquila Summit. Although the establishment of mechanisms to combat oil price volatility was not discussed at the 2009 L’Aquila Summit, the enhancement of energy market transparency was thoroughly reviewed.

Today's big news came late in the day. At his evening press conference, French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke clearly about expansion: If by next year the G8 is not a G14, then by the time France hosts in 2011 it will be.

Beyond issues of global governance, topics included climate change and global financial policy.

France has been considerably successful in pursuing its financial and regulatory reform objectives at the 2009 L'Aquila Summit. The G8 has committed to act on at least two of France’s three main objectives. Though the recently released communiqué regarding World Economy clearly indicates that economic and financial stabilization remains the main priority in a continuously uncertain period, financial and regulatory reform was also thoroughly addressed.