国际英语新闻：Rising food and fuel prices to top G8 summit agenda in Japan

LONDON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday he and his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda had agreed to deal with rising food and fuel prices at the upcoming G8summit in Japan next month.

    At a joint press conference with Fukuda after talks at No. 10 Downing Street, Brown said the two sides had identified rising commodity prices as "a global problem that now requires coordinated international action."

    "We agreed it was important for G8 members to press oil-producing nations to do all they can to increase oil production and investment to improve future supply," said Brown.

    The British prime minister said the two sides agreed there's an urgent need for the world to reduce its dependence on carbon fuels and diversify its energy supply.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown (L) speaks with his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda outside 10 Downing Street following their meeting, London June 2, 2008.

Brown also said he hoped the upcoming summit would produce a plan to boost food production worldwide and bring down prices for consumers.

    "We need to expand aid and help we give for agricultural production," he added.

    Brown also welcomed other issues confirmed as summit topics by Fukuda, including the global economy, climate change and development.

    For his part, Fukuda said rising food prices were an "urgent international issue," and were "a multifaceted problem that calls for a multifaceted response."

    Leaders to attend the G8 summit are expected to work out a long-term plan to increase food production and agricultural productivity, especially in developing countries, he added.

    The Japanese prime minister arrived in Europe ahead of the G8 summit scheduled for July 7-9 in Toyako, a lakeside resort on the northern island of Hokkaido.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown (R) poses with his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda in 10 Downing Street London June 2, 2008.

    Before his trip to London, Fukuda visited Germany for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel. He will later attend the UN-backed food summit in Rome and hold talks with French President Nicholas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on the sidelines.