At the G8 祝宴...lobster, caviar and lame ducks

As the Middle East 燃やすd over the 週末, this rather more serene scene 広げるd in St Petersburg.

Encircled by bewigged waiters, the G8 leaders and their SWAGs (首脳会議 wives and girlfriends) clinked glasses before enjoying a 祝宴 fit for a king.

See also...

?

href="javascript:self.指名する='main';PopUp('you_popup','/pages/galleries/索引.html?in_gallery_id=8248∈_page_id=1055','780','550',%20'yes')">GALLERY: Leaders dine in style at the G8 首脳会議

?

href="http://www.yansite.jp/etoj.cgi?sw=j&URL=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/newscomment.html?in_article_id=396056∈_page_id=1787">Melanie Phillips on the G8 首脳会議

Lobster and caviar were served but, given the fact that many of leaders are soon to 放棄する 力／強力にする, cynics 示唆するd that lame duck might have been more appropriate fare.

For those who are soon to leave the 最高の，を越す （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する of politics, Saturday night's feast was a 思い出の品 of what they will be 行方不明の. The surroundings were 都合よく grand. Peterhof, 設立するd by Peter the 広大な／多数の／重要な, is known as the ロシアの Versailles.

Having entered the 18th century palace, the world leaders and their spouses were 勧めるd to a magnificent ballroom hall, glittering with priceless chandeliers and 天井-to-床に打ち倒す mirrors.

They were served a seven-course meal, which started with lobster mousse, followed by turkey garnished with a raspberry sauce. Then （機の）カム beluga caviar with warm pancakes and fresh strawberries, 冷淡な sturgeon and a pear liqueur sorbet, before the main course of beef stroganoff with a truffle sauce.

To finish off, the guests enjoyed strawberries dipped in balsamic vinegar and 黒人／ボイコット pepper. It was all complemented by the finest ワインs.

Throughout the three-and-a half-hour feast, 翻訳家 s hovered around the 辛勝する／優位s, ready to 介入する to keep the conversation flowing. Below is a lowdown on the leaders and their ladies:

Cherie and Tony Blair: Arguably the most 政治上 active of the SWAGs, Cherie was a 労働 Party member before her husband became 伴う／関わるd. She is usually …を伴ってd on foreign trips by her Mayfair stylist.

Bernadette Chirac and French 大統領，／社長 husband Jacques: The oldest of the SWAGs at 73. 悪名高くも aloof and aristocratic, Bernadette 辞退するs to call her husband 'tu'-the familiar French 見解／翻訳／版 of 'you' にもかかわらず 50 years of marriage.

Ludmila Putin and ロシアの 大統領，／社長 Vladimir Putin: 悪名高くも 控えめの, the former 空気／公表する hostess, 48, is rarely seen in public.

Laura Bush and U.S. 大統領 George Bush: The constant 人物／姿／数字 by her husband's 味方する, Laura is known for her 技術d 外交 and was ひどく used during the 2004 大統領の （選挙などの）運動をする.

German （ドイツなどの）首相／（大学の）学長 Angela Merkel: 顕著に 行方不明の from the （ドイツなどの）首相／（大学の）学長's 味方する was her husband, Joachim Sauer. The 56-year-old chemistry professor shuns the limelight.

Japanese 首相 Junichiro Koizumi: Also alone, the Elvis-loving leader has sworn off marriage after an acrimonious 離婚 24 years ago.

Laureen Teskey Harper, and Canadian 首相, Stephen Harper: Laureen, a graphic designer, loves animals and is known to take in 逸脱する cats.

Finnish 首相 Matti Vanhanen: …に出席するing the 会合 in his capacity as 大統領，／社長 of the EU. He was unaccompanied as he is getting 離婚d from his wife of 20 years, Merja.

Maria Barroso and her husband Jose Manuel Barroso: He is the 大統領，／社長 of the European （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限.

Finnish 大統領，／社長 Tarja Halonen and husband Pentti Arajarvi: …に出席するing as Finland 持つ／拘留するs 大統領／総裁などの地位 of the EU. Together for 15 years, the couple married after she was elected in 2000.

Flavia Prodi and Italian 首相 Romano Prodi: Flavia is 推定する／予想するd to be the most dutiful attenders of SWAG 機能（する）／行事s in St Petersburg. At the G8 首脳会議 in 2000, most 機能（する）／行事s for the WAGs were cancelled when she was the only one that …に出席するd a visit to the Peace Park.

The spouses now always …に出席する the 年次の G8 会合. But when the plates were （疑いを）晴らすd from this sumptuous - but 公式に 'informal' 祝宴 - the leaders had to turn their attention to the biggest crises 直面するing the world. 最高の，を越す of that 協議事項 was the 暴力／激しさ in the Middle East. But several of the leaders would be 井戸／弁護士席 aware that their 影響（力） would not be brought to 耐える at too many more G8 集会s. Mr Bush, Mr Blair, Mr Chirac and Mr Junichiro will all be leaving office in the 近づく 未来.

Even before they sat 負かす／撃墜する for 会談, there was 分割 - over how to travel around the 首脳会議 場所／位置. Mr Bush took to the wheel of his hi-tech electric buggy. Germany's （ドイツなどの）首相／（大学の）学長 Merkel chose to arrive in a car, while Mr Blair walked.