国际英语新闻：British government plays down rift with U.S. fiscal policy in run-up to G8, G20 summits

British Prime Minister David Cameron has moved to downplay the significance of divergent fiscal policies with other countries, particularly the United States.

The Guardian newspaper Friday quoted Cameron on his trip to the G8 summit, which will be followed immediately by the larger G20 summit, as saying, "This weekend isn't about a row over fiscal policy. We all agree about the need for fiscal consolidation."

"For me, this G20 is about putting the world economy on an irreversible path to recovery. We want monetary policy to do the work. We want to make sure money is getting out of the banks to businesses."

Cameron's approach is mirrored in other European nations, notably Germany whose government under Chancellor Angela Merkel is going ahead with harsh cuts of 80 billion euros (123 billion dollars) in spending.

Cameron is also backed by European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, who said earlier this week that "the idea that austerity measures could trigger stagnation is incorrect."

Cameron and his chancellor Osborne also have the backing of the Bank of England (BoE), Britain's central bank, in their stringent cut-and-tax strategy to tackle the sovereign debt now.

The BoE has been charged by Osborne with overseeing regulation in the financial sector combined with its already existing mandate to set interest rates and handle monetary policy.

It has a powerful and central role to play in Britain's recovery from the financial crisis and recession and it will also have considerable influence on global policy approaches to that recovery.