Hopes and dreams for the G-8

The following comments reflect the views of DW-WORLD.DE readers. Not all reader comments have been published. DW-WORLD.DE reserves the right to edit for length and appropriateness of content.

Chancellor unveils Germany's G-8 plans

I agree with Chancellor Merkel's suggestion to expand the G-8 to G-20. I would suggest that it also include prominent developing countries. It is precisely the emerging economies (China, India, Brazil, Russia, Columbia, and others) as well as developing countries that will be the key to economic stabilization, for the G-8, provided that effective measures are put into place through IMF and World Bank along with financial controls and oversight. -- Rolf Boll, US

Should the dollar be replaced as the "world currency?" No. I do not have much confidence in any other currency. The Chinese are simply angry at the previous administration for the "currency manipulator" attitude, now they want to show some attitude too. -- Krasimir, Bulgaria

I wish some day that my country will not be indicated as an Islamic republic as it has been on your website. The Islamic regime is illegitimate and has not been elected by the Iranian people. Iranians have been held hostage and the hostage taker is the Islamic regime. I hope the G-8 members won't recognize this government and condemn their actions against the oppressed and innocent people. I hope that no European government will sign an oil contract with the Islamic regime, ignoring the Iranian people who are the real owners of the oil. -- Banafshe Irani, Iran

The Chinese government’s terrorist policy in East Turkstan ignited the deadly conflict between Uyghurs and the Chinese. Wang Le Quan, the top Secretary of CCP in East Turkstan, is antagonizing the Uyghurs. Most of the clashes between the Chinese and Uyghurs are due to Wang Le Quan's terrorist local policy. Wang creates more and more enemies so that he can be a hero with his hard crackdown. He is masterminding the whole region for his political future. This is how Hu Jin Tao, the Chinese president, did it in Tibet before he was elected as president for his hard fisted approach in Tibet. -- Tohkti Abduwayet, US

Former Chancellor Kohl resigns from late wife's foundation

It is a great tragedy that Mr. Kohl should be remembered for the shennanigans that came out at the end of his political career and now this, his stepping down as the honorary chairman's post of the foundation named after his deceased wife. This probably proves the point that all politicians' lives end in failure and ignominy. However, this should not detract from the fact that he faithfully and fiercely fought and achieved the reunification of Germany. -- Raja Mandakalathoor Venkataraghavan, India

EU pulls ambassadors from Honduras in wake of presidential ousting

As a Honduran I would like to express my absolute disappointment in a president turned leftist at his midterm, who has failed to send a budget to Congress for almost eight months now, and who disrespects the resolutions of the Supreme Court, National Elections Tribunal, Congress and the Attorney General. He should be judged in trial for his transgressions. But he should not have been taken at midnight and thrown in an airplane to exile. I think he should face trial and be judged. But I do not agree with the way he was arrested and taken into exile. The EU should remember that Honduras is a very poor country and the cutting of economic aid could be disastrous to innocent people. Both sides of the story should be heard before calling other measures. -- Rocio Aguilar, Honduras

Nobel laureate Stiglitz: "Real risk that we'll be worse off than before the crisis"

The Western World existed on credit, extended largely by China, Japan and other Asian economies. It was governments who were complicit in this. Banks only did what they were allowed to do. And it was the relatively unregulated investment "banks" and the toxic rating agencies that are the most to blame. In Australasia, where investment excesses were limited to investment companies, the banking sector is strong. The US has massive involvement in very expensive and unwinnable wars, and has been living far beyond its means for years, due to excruciating bad economic policy. Couple that with the distortions due to production, price and export subsidies, and other non-tariff barriers in America and Europe, and it is no wonder the Third World suffers. We have to get far more sophisticated in our policy than merely throwing more money at the problem which is Stiglitz's solution. I support the Chinese idea of replacing the US dollar with SDRs for international trade. We should share environmental technology with each other. We should encourage poor countries to find their own way, instead of arrogantly dictating to them. And we have to help each other to overcome the environmental problems which loom as far, far more serious threats than the present economic blip. Economic downturns may make us a little poorer - environmental problems will kill people and destroy civilizations. -- Kelvin Duncan, New Zealand

German fuel cell plane takes maiden flight

All-electric powered vechicles are coming closer, despite a present day recharge time of up to six hours. What must be carefully monitored in this area is a proclaimed new breakthrough to counter the current lithium-ion battery. Made by EEstor, this is a new design that claims to have a recharge time of only five minutes at one-tenth the weight of the conventional electric car battery. It is a private company, yet 10.7 per cent owned by publically traded firm ZENN Motors of Canada. Before September 1 of this year, a commercial prototype of this battery array is to be made. There is much secrecy and controversy around the project and any speculative investment in ZENN in order to own a portion of EEStor. We shall have to wait to determine if a real revolution is underway. -- David Berridged, Canada