ABSTRACT
A number of observers have commented on the content of summit documents and the extent to which those documents reflect or fail to reflect actual deliberations of the Group of Seven/Group of Eight (G7/G8). Despite genuine efforts by the leaders to correct that kind of imbalance between released documents and actual discussions, and some real successes in this respect in more summits, a certain imbalance remains. Several analysts have called for various changes in summit documentation. The documentation of the G7/G8 system, in all its variety and dynamism, is an essential source of information not only about that institution but also on a whole gamut of vital issues. The Birmingham G8 Summit issued fewer documents than its predecessors, even when one considers the leaders’ documents released at the G7 heads’ level. The documentation of the G7/G8 system is an essential source of information not only about that institution but also on a whole gamut of vital issues.
