London, May 23, SPA -- Prime Minister Tony Blair will meet Italianpremier Silvio Berlusconi in Rome on Friday, launching anintensive round of international diplomacy to pushBritain's G8 priorities of tackling poverty in Africa andclimate change. Blair also plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putinin Moscow and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washingtonahead of the G8 summit in Scotland in July, Blair'sofficial spokesman said Monday. Dates were not announced. The spokesman said Blair also planned to meet FrenchPresident Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor GerhardSchroeder during the first half of June if possible, todiscuss Britain's agenda during its yearlong presidency ofthe Group of Eight industrialized nations. Blair would also speak via video conference with JapanesePrime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Canadian Prime MinsterPaul Martin, the Associated Press quoted the spokesman as saying. "We have set out an ambitious agenda for the G8, and thisis the time for detailed negotiation," the spokesman saidon customary condition of anonymity. "The important pointis that no one in the G8 dispute that Africa and climatechange must be the priorities. We believe at this stage weare achieving progress, but we still have some way to go."--SPA1433 Local Time 1133 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/264462