Photo Gallery "Miss World" Merkel Kept G-8 Men in Line
Bild newspaper asked in a banner headline on Wednesday as the summit got under way: "Will Merkel Get a Grip on The Men?" She seems to have had no trouble.
Though there were occasional moments when she appeared clueless.
Commentators said the deal on climate change, while lacking a commitment to concrete emissions cuts, was the best she realistically could have hoped for.
She's even getting some credit for the apparent thawing in relations between US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir at the summit...
...by Friday evening, the two presidents appeared surprisingly at ease with each other considering the fierce rhetoric of recent months.
Any fears that she might have difficulty keeping the men in line proved unfounded.
She's in her element when it comes to complex negotiations.
Greenpeace says the US is as far away as ever from agreeing CO2 reductions. But the summit is nevertheless being hailed as a modest triumph for the German leader.
