[Live 8] Geldof urges G8 to stamp out poverty

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By Paul Majendie

LONDON (Reuters) - Charity rocker Bob Geldof's star-studded concerts are aimed at pressuring world leaders into eradicating African poverty.

Twenty years after the Live Aid sensation, the man dubbed "Saint Bob" for organizing the 1985 concert to save the starving in Ethiopia wants to influence the G8 group of industrialized nations which meets in Scotland in July.

"Here we are again," Geldof told a news conference in London, adding that he hoped to use Live 8 concerts "to tilt the world a little bit on in its axis in favor of the poor."

"We don't want your money, we want you, because every few seconds a child dies needlessly of extreme poverty," the Irish singer added.

"Eight world leaders in one room in Scotland on the 8th of July can save millions and millions of lives, but they'll only do it if enough people tell them to."

Seven free concerts will be held on July 2 in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Philadelphia, Tokyo and Barrie, north of Toronto.

The stars due to appear at the London show include Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney, REM, Scissor Sisters, Sting, Robbie Williams and U2.

Acts confirmed in Philadelphia include Bon Jovi, Maroon 5, P. Diddy, Stevie Wonder and actor Will Smith.

The concerts will coincide with a rally in Edinburgh organized by Make Poverty History, an umbrella group campaigning to cancel poor nations' debt and boost aid that plans to form a human chain around the Scottish city to raise awareness.

Live 8 organizers are hoping for one million spectators at the July 2 gigs and up to two billion viewers around the world.

Philadelphia officials said Live 8 and a separate Elton John AIDS concert on July 4 could attract up to three million people in the city alone.

"I don't think it will be a logistical problem for us," Mayor John Street told reporters in Philadelphia.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has lobbied to help Africa during Britain's presidency of the G8 this year and will host G8 leaders at a summit in Gleneagles in Scotland from July 6-8.

But campaigners fear discord between G8 nations on debt reduction and aid, combined with reluctance in Washington, will wreck Blair's ambitions.

Blair will discuss a range of issues including Africa during talks with President Bush in Washington next week, a spokesman for his office said.

Campaigners also warn that African schools and hospitals could receive no new money from the G8 summit, which could cost as much as 100 million pounds ($180 million) to stage.

"We are really concerned that we're a long, long way away from any kind of breakthrough on tackling poverty in Africa," said Oxfam policy adviser Max Lawson.

Elton John, who has his own AIDS charity, said the latest initiative would mean more to him than Live Aid.

"I went to Africa in January and saw the situation for myself there, and saw the ignorance and stigma that people are fighting against," he said.

"He's (Geldof) encouraged ... musicians to really think about what they should be doing instead of playing and just driving around in flashy cars." (Additional reporting by Jon Hurdle in Philadelphia and Jeremy Lovell and Madeline Chambers in London)