US plans to encourage democracy in the Middle East are likely to top the agenda at the Group of Eight summit which got underway yesterday.
Diplomats last night expressed hope that the new UN security council resolution on Iraq would pave the way for official agreement over US President George Bush's Middle Eastern initiative.
At a secluded beach resort close to Savannah, chosen to protect against a terrorist attack and minimise disruption from protesters, the three-day summit will involve discussion on a range of issues including global warming, AIDS and Third World debt.
Despite a show of unity at the weekend's D-Day commemorations, differences remain between the US on one side and France, Germany, Russia and Japan on the other over supporting reforms in the Middle East.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is attending the summit in his capacity as president of the European Council.
The European Union has observer status at the meeting of the world's eight most industrialised nations.
President Bush's Middle Eastern plan has been re-written in advance of the G8 summit. Draft proposals earlier this year angered Arab nations which saw it as an attempt to impose democracy from overseas.
US officials are hopeful that Arab nations will be receptive to the plan's message that the way to deal with the forces that breed terrorism in the Middle East is to nurture moves towards democracy and economic development.
Attempts to sell this message have already run into obstacles. Key Arab states, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, are not attending the meeting despite receiving invitations. Many Arab nations are deeply sceptical about US policy in the Middle East due to the handling of the Iraq war and Washington's support for Israel.
The re-written version of Mr Bush's Middle Eastern initiative is expected to stress the urgency of resolving the Palestinian conflict and underlining the need for partnership in the region.
The plan grew out of a speech by President Bush last year in which he said the US was wrong to support autocratic governments in a search for Middle Eastern stability.
The G8 leaders are due to formally adopt the plan at the conclusion of the summit on Thursday.
Diplomats have said its acceptance by the world's most powerful economies would be a major achievement.
US National Security Advisor Ms Condoleezza Rice said earlier this week that the initiative would help counter extremism in a region responsible for many terrorist attacks.
However, some European and Middle Eastern countries have voiced concern that the rhetoric surrounding the plan will not be matched by sufficient investment or new ideas.
In an effort to demonstrate engagement with the Middle Eastern countries, President Bush has invited leaders of a number of Islamic states to attend a lunch on Wednesday.
The guest likely to be showered with most praise and attention is Iraq's new interim president, Sheikh Ghazi Ajil al-Yawar. He along with the leaders of other Middle Eastern countries will also take part in meetings with G8 leaders.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, yesterday welcomed signs of international agreement over Iraqi sovereignty which he said would help repair EU/US relations.
Mr Ahern said the efforts of the Irish EU presidency had played an important diplomatic role in helping to provide conditions for a UN resolution on Iraq.
"Our position is to support the UN. At every level of the presidency we have been underlining the importance of this," Mr Ahern told The Irish Times.
"Naturally, we are very pleased that this is happening during our presidency. It's a big change from the bad atmosphere of the last 18 months."