G8 Talks: Bid To Help 'Arab Spring' Nations

Barack Obama and David Cameron travel to a two-day G8 gathering in France today where uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East are likely to top the agenda.

The Prime Minister and US President are expected to put forward plans to give more financial and political backing to countries experiencing an "Arab Spring".

On Wednesday the two leaders repeated their calls for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down.

Nato continued to bombard Tripoli in its campaign against Colonel Gaddafi and his forces.

Mr Cameron and Mr Obama reiterated their determination to keep up the military pressure on the Libyan regime.

But Nato's campaign in the country could cause tensions among the G8 leaders meeting in Deauville, as Russia has expressed concerns about the extent of the airstrikes.

There is also significant scope for friction over Syria, with Moscow resisting efforts to take action on the regime's brutal repression of protests.

Mr Obama and Mr Cameron again called for Muammar Gaddafi to stand down

A resolution is due to go before the United Nations Security Council later.

The US and UK are expected to urge counterparts to provide more concrete financial support for fledgling democracies.

Washington has been calling for "debt swaps", where wealthier nations agree to convert sums they are owed by countries that are implementing change - such as Egypt - into investments.

The G8 - made up of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and America - is also due to be briefed by the recently-installed prime ministers of Egypt and Tunisia, Essam Sharaf and Beji Caid el Sebsi.

The summit will begin with a session on nuclear safety in the wake of the crisis created by the earthquake in Japan.

Protests like those in Egypt earlier this year will be discussed

But discussions between the world leaders are also due to cover the situation in Afghanistan, global economic development and reform, nuclear safety and internet regulation.

And French president Nicolas Sarkozy has insisted he wants the internet to be at the heart of the summit.

A delegation of executives, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Google chairman Eric Schmidt, are due to address the world leaders.

Although no Twitter representatives are thought to be on the guest list, the session could provide an opportunity for Mr Cameron to take the temperature on international internet regulation.