Discussions continued yesterday among leaders of some of the world's richest nations at the G8 summit, although there was a strong sense that they were largely going through the motions, since the focus of everyone's attention was on the events in London, writes Deaglán de Bréadún in Gleneagles
Visibly shaken by news of the blasts, British prime minister Tony Blair left temporarily for London to get a security briefing and designated foreign secretary Jack Straw to chair meetings in his absence.
Mr Straw had to travel up from London at short notice and, pending his arrival, the discussions were chaired by Sir Michael Jay, the prime minister's personal representative to the G8.
Despite some initial speculation that the summit might be cancelled, the G8 leaders resolved to continue their deliberations in the face of the bomb attacks. The atmosphere of polite but tense negotiation faded considerably as leaders from both sides of the Atlantic closed ranks against the terrorist threat.
"We do not want to give an impression of giving in to terrorism," said a G8 spokesman.
The G8 (Group of Eight) countries are: Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US. Issuing a joint statement with the so-called "G5" countries - Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, India and China - as well as the UN, IMF and World Bank, the G8 leaders said: "All our countries have suffered from the impact of terrorism.
"We will not allow violence to change our societies or our values. Nor will we allow it to disrupt the work of this summit," the statement continued.
They were "striving to combat world poverty and save and improve lives".
Asserting that the bombers would not succeed, the statement concluded: "We shall prevail. They shall not."
Giving his personal reaction, President Bush told reporters he was struck by the "incredibly vivid" contrast between the G8 leaders meeting to discuss poverty, HIV/Aids and the environment and the scenes of horror on the television.
Pledging to track down the terrorists, he said: "They have such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks." He added: "We will find them and bring them to justice. And at the same time we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate."
He had instructed US Homeland Security officials "to be in touch with local and state officials about the facts of what took place here and in London, and to be extra-vigilant, as our folks start heading to work."
German chancellor Gerhard Schröder issued a personal statement condemning "these malignant acts that have cost the lives and health of many innocent people" and said these "cowardly" terrorist attacks were clearly targeted at undermining the G8 summit.
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said at Gleneagles: "This is an attack on the people of Britain, it is an attack on democracy, and it is an attack on the fundamental freedoms which go to the heart of the European Union."
French president Jacques Chirac, who is also attending the G8 summit, assured Mr Blair of his country's "total solidarity" in the aftermath of the attacks.
"The president of the Republic told the British prime minister of his horror at the tragic events in London and expressed his sad condolences," a spokesman said.
Mr Blair himself said all the G8 leaders shared Britain's "complete resolution" to defeat terrorism. "It's particularly barbaric that this has happened on a day when people are meeting to try to help the problems of poverty in Africa, and the long-term problems of climate change."
He warned the perpetrators: "Our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction on innocent people and impose extremism on the world."
Security at the summit was intensified even beyond its existing high level as heads of state and government began their formal deliberations.
They started with climate change and the production of a Gleneagles plan of action on the issue. However, this was expected to be held over for release until today because of the events in London.