Sea Island (Georgia): ): World leaders showcased a new harmony on Iraq as they kicked off their annual summit, but prickly issues remained over both Iraq and President George W Bush's plan to promote democracy across the wider Middle East.

Bush hailed the passage of a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq yesterday (June 8, 2004) as "a great victory for the Iraqi people'' and thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia's help in winning the vote.

Putin, who had opposed the US-led war in Iraq, called the UN vote "a major step forward'' and said it would produce "a quality change in the status of Iraq''. British Prime Minister Tony Blair described it as "an important milestone for the new Iraq''.

Despite the vote, Bush lowered expectations of gaining other countries' military support in Iraq - one of the original hopes behind the resolution.

"I expect nations to contribute as they see fit,'' Bush said as he met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the opening day of the Group of Eight summit.

Of the powerful countries attending the summit on this secluded coastal resort island, only the United States, Britain, Italy and Japan have troops in Iraq. Japan's non-combat troops perform humanitarian missions.

Germany, France, Canada and Russia do not have troops there, and have said they will not send forces.

Before the summit opened formally with a social dinner, Bush met separately with Koizumi, Putin, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.