Australian PM suggests G20 leaders use first names

Brisbane, Nov 15 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott asked G20 leaders in Brisbane on Saturday to use first names to show “personal warmth” and to “speak from the heart, not from notes” to make the summit the best it can be.

Abbott made the remarks at the opening of the leaders’ retreat ahead of the formal G20 sessions in which the leaders were given five minutes each to talk about any issues they wished.

“The only rules are if we can speak from our heart rather than from a script that would be good,” he said.

“If we could use first names, that would be good as well because, whatever disagreements we might have, it helps if there can at least be personal warmth amongst us,” Abbott said.

Abbott said the world was looking at G20 leaders to demonstrate their ability to boost economic growth and create more jobs, according to Xinhua.

“That’s our challenge, to leave this G20 meeting in 48 hours and instil more confidence in the people of the world,” he said.

“We may not always be able to agree but I hope we can at least be open with each other over this time,” he said.