Security concerns during Bush's trip

By John King
CNN Washington Bureau

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Security was a major concern for the White House Wednesday as President Bush opened his second trip to Europe in little more than a month.

Bush stopped first in London for talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a key figure as the president tries to sell his controversial missile defense plan to the European allies and Russia.

The security concerns, however, were focused on the second stop, in Genoa, Italy, for the annual Group of Seven/Group of Eight summit, where as many as 100,000 demonstrators were expected and where security precautions were unprecedented because of recent episodes of sometimes violent protests at major international gatherings.

Before leaving Washington, Bush took issue with the anti-globalization views espoused by most of the demonstrators -- making his case that more trade was the quickest way to create conditions to alleviate poverty.

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In Genoa, police have established a "red zone" -- sealing off the central city to keep demonstrators away from Bush and the other leaders.

Such demonstrations have become a staple at major international forums, beginning with the 1999 World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle, and have forced a major change in security preparations.

The U.S. Secret Service, for example, has studied videotapes and other intelligence information from the most recent round of demonstrations at last month's European Union meetings in Sweden.

"What it has done between law enforcement, both here in the United States and abroad, is the sharing of information," Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin told CNN.

"I think the sharing of information amongst law enforcement is unprecedented. You don't have a choice, you have to share this information because there are those groups out there that will work against you if you don't."

A veteran of past presidential trips, James Steinberg, who was deputy national security adviser under President Clinton, said the increased security comes at a price.

"The conference site will be heavily walled off, access is heavily restricted for these G8 kinds of meetings," Steinberg said. "So they are able to create a kind of barrier around it that will provide a certain degree of physical security.

"But the flip side of that," Steinberg said, "is it makes the leaders look like they are under siege, it makes them look like they are hiding behind walls and it tends to reinforce a bit the sense of isolation.

"Most of these political leaders like to be out among the people, they like to be among the crowds so they are very uncomfortable with the kinds of changes they have to make to accommodate these serious security situations."

The G8 agenda reflects some of the areas of concern to the demonstrators. The leaders will, for example, discuss new steps to forgive the debts of developing countries and talk about a new international fund to combat AIDS, particularly in Africa.

Bush is expecting more tough questions from European allies about global warming and his opposition to the Kyoto treaty on global climate change.

The allies and Russian President Vladimir Putin will also want more details of the administration's controversial missile defense plan.