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Bush to live on aircraft carrier at G8 summit By Bruce Johnston in Rome

PRESIDENT Bush will live on board an American aircraft carrier during the G8 summit in Genoa to provide protection from protesters, it was disclosed yesterday.

As a siege mentality took hold in the Italian port, a diplomat involved in preparations for the meeting next month said: "We expect President Bush will be staying on the USS Enterprise." The carrier is part of the Naples-based US Sixth Fleet.

He said the other 1,800 delegates would stay on European Vision, a luxury cruise ship built in France and due to enter service this summer with a cruise of the Greek islands. The 823ft ship has 750 cabins that can accommodate 2,000 passengers, served by 703 crew. The vessel has nine lifts, four swimming pools, 10 bars, two restaurants, a conference hall, gym and an internet cafe.

The 6,000 journalists expected to attend will be accommodated on ferries moored in the city's spectacular harbour. The Italian government has become increasingly fearful about the summit after the violent protests at last week's European Union summit in Gothenburg.

The Italians fear similar demonstrations by a travelling army of anti-capitalist protesters expected to descend on the city for the meeting from July 20-22. As well as housing the delegates on ships, latest predictions suggest that 13,000 police and soldiers will be deployed to guard them.

Italy's Defence Ministry is preparing a number of security precautions, including a five-day closure of the port, the airport, the two main railway stations, an elevated railway and all motorways into the city. Protesters will be barred from the inner port city centre area, which will be part of a forbidden "red zone".

Shops, markets, bars and restaurants will be closed as the area, where many pensioners live, becomes a virtual ghost town. Rubbish will not be collected for five days. The authorities also announced plans to intercept violent demonstrators before they entered the country.

An intelligence report has given warning that thousands of organised, hardline anarchists, including some from Britain, are planning to go to Genoa. The level of the precautions also reflect the fears of Silvio Berlusconi, the new Prime Minister, of suffering a loss of face during the first big world event in Italy since he swept into power in last month's elections.

The Italian authorities are also seeking to buy off the majority of non-violent protesters. Mr Berlusconi's cabinet will meet today to earmark £1 million for the creation of a "welcome centre" that will accommodate moderate demonstrators. Mr Berlusconi is also considering a proposal from his Foreign Minister, Renato Ruggiero, for a "pre-summit" of poorer nations to be called in Rome ahead of the G8. Nelson Mandela is among those invited.

The Genoa Social Forum, an umbrella protest group representing 300 smaller organisations, attacked the authorities for denying them their "constitutional right to protest". It said: "If they don't give us the piazzas, we'll take them by force."

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2001