Shirtfronting, selfies, and no G20 scripts

Spurring economic growth, free trade agreements, combating climate change, the "Islamic State's" emergence in Iraq and Syria, the conflict in eastern Ukraine, an Ebola epidemic, tax evasion, tension between Japan and China: world leaders have plenty on their plates over the next two days in Brisbane.

Prior to the summit at a two-hour pre-summit retreat in the Queensland state capital, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that "the only rules" for G20 leaders were to use first names, display personal warmth, and to speak candidly but without the aid of a stodgy script.

Abbott asked those taking to the podium to "speak from the heart rather than a script," and to keep their address within five minutes. "If we could use first names that would be good as well, because whatever disagreements we may have it helps if there can be personal warmth among us," Abbott said.

Shirtfronting, and selfies

This appeal for familiarity was a far cry from Abbott's stated plans to "shirtfront" Russian President Vladimir Putin - an Australian rules football term for an aggressive front-on body-check - over his handling of the investigation into the downed Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. Thirty-eight of the 298 passengers and crew were Australian citizens or residents.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation was permitted to film a few minutes of footage from Abbott's address, at one point panning between Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel as he spoke. Putin and Abbott also met briefly on Tuesday on the sidelines of the APEC summit in China; the Russian president arrived late on Friday in Brisbane.

In his introductory press statement, the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, said that the recent military escalation in Ukraine continued "to be of utmost concern," even if the conflict is not on the official summit agenda. He said that European leaders and Obama would discuss the issue when they convene on Sunday.

German Chancellor Merkel announced on Friday that she also intended to discuss the conflict in Ukraine in a one-on-one with Putin in Brisbane, although the first stop on her Queensland agenda was a somewhat less somber, even less sober, appointment. Merkel made an impromptu appearance at one of Brisbane's most popular pub strips, stopping at several bars for brief exchanges and the occasional "selfie" with the locals.

Sarah Keayes, a photographer for the Brisbane Courier-Mail who was at the scene with friends, said: "She was in a great mood, she seemed to get a real buzz from the crowd, and took the time to say hello, and was all smiles."

EU, UN call for climate commitment

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon listed conflicts in Syria, Iraq, northern Nigeria, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and Ukraine during his opening address.

"Across these arcs of crisis, we need more determined steps to end grave abuses of human rights, resolve the conflicts and address the underlying sources of instability," Ban said.

Ban, touching on an issue Van Rompuy also addressed, called for world leaders to seek further progress combating climate change, commending the recent agreement between the US and China, and the earlier commitments from the European Union. Van Rompuy had said that the EU "now expects other major economies to match the European commitment to ensure a breakthrough in Paris next year" at the 21st UN Climate Chance Conference.

While host leader Abbott's stances on climate, and particularly coal power, have come under criticism ahead of the G20, Ban also praised Australia's early commitment to international efforts to combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa - another issue expected to feature in the summit's final declaration on Sunday.

msh/tj (AFP, dpa)