Canada to host first 2010 G20 summit

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in Pittsburgh Friday his country will host the first of two Group of 20 summits next year.

While attending the G20 summit, Harper and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met and agreed on the two summits, the first of which will occur in Huntsville, Ontario, a two-hour drive north of Toronto in late June.

The leaders said a second summit would be held in Seoul in November, a release from Harper's office said.

Canada was already scheduled to host a Group of Eight industrialized nations summit in June, although various news reports said the timing of the two meetings wasn't immediately clear.

Harper, speaking at a news conference, reiterated how Canada has weathered the recession better than most nations because of its financial and banking regulatory policies.

"Canada has been a strong participant at these summits because our country brings a strong economic record to the table," he said.