Small Sardinian island to host G8 summit in 2009

ROME (Reuters) – Italy will hold the 2009 Group of Eight summit of rich nations at a small Sardinian island accessible only by boat, the government said on Thursday.

The 2009 summit will be held in Maddalena, home of a U.S. nuclear submarine base which is due to close in 2008.

Italy last hosted the G8 in 2001 in Genoa, which was one of the most violent in the history of the summits.

One demonstrator was shot and killed in a clash with police and dozens of others were injured in a separate incident when police stormed a high school housing protesters.

Earlier on Thursday, a senior Italian policeman said police had “butchered” protesters at the 2001 summit and called for a parliamentary inquiry.