Food, fuel crises 'a global threat'

2008-06-13 14:40

London - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday that action to curb the rising costs of food and fuel could be vital to global stability.

Following talks in London with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Ban said that rapidly rising commodity prices could cause political and security problems around the globe.

"Unless we properly manage this issue, this could trigger a cascade of other challenges and crises - affecting not just social and economic issues, but also political and security issues," Ban said.

He said he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday to discuss the issue.

Brown plans to attend an oil price summit in Jeddah on June 22, and has offered to convene a follow-up meeting in London.

Global solution

"This is a global problem with oil prices that requires a global solution," Brown said after his talk with Ban.

Brown said the purpose of the Jeddah talks will be to produce "a proper dialogue between the consumers of oil and producers of oil ... and look at how this dialogue could produce better results."

Brown said plans are in place to deal with possible fuel shortages in Britain during a planned four-day strike which began Friday by truckers who deliver gas to Shell gas stations.

"There are detailed contingency plans to reduce as far as possible, and to minimise, disruption to the driving public," Brown said.

- AP