ALTITUDE sickness felling the global leaders at the Summit of the 8 in the "mile high city" of Denver this week is said to be a "nightmare" for its organisers. They advise low alcohol consumption as a precaution.

The Japanese arrived early to adjust to Colorado's lower oxygen content, a Summit spokeswoman said.

Summit of the 8 is the new title for what used to be called the G-7 summit of the world's richest economic powers. This year Russia is being incorporated fully into the club although its faltering economy does not really warrant it.

President Boris Yeltsin will attend all the meetings except one with his colleagues from the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada. The EU will be represented by the Dutch presidency and the EU Commission,

The US, as host nation, is gloating at presummit briefings how its economic situation has been reversed compared to previous G-7 meetings when the US used be lectured on the size of its deficit. "Today the stellar performance of the US economy will be the principal focus of economic attention," boasted Dan Tarullo, assistant to President Clinton for international economics.

The US is also hailing the modest achievements of the Russian economy under Mr Yeltsin, credit for which is also being attributed to Mr Clinton by the White House handlers.

As Mr Tarullo puts it: "With those two accomplishments in hand, we're prepared to move on to the next three tasks of strengthening our economies for the global economy of the 21st century, consolidating the new global agenda responses to international crime, international terrorism, infectious diseases and other such global problems, and integrating more nations into the community of free market democracies."

This ambitious agenda will keep the eight leaders busy as they also wine and dine in picturesque venues in the former "cow town". They will be helped by foreign ministers, finance ministers and armies of officials. A rumour that the world leaders would ride around on horses like their EU counterparts in Amsterdam did on bicycles could not be confirmed.

About 4,000, journalists will be doing their bit to tell the world what the summiteers are up to. Denver is determined to make everybody's sojourn unforgettable and the media are being promised duffel bags with such goodies as bottled water and tea bags.

But to more serious business. Africa is going to be a main item following President Clinton's launch this week of a US initiative for that continent. Key elements, are increased access to US markets through tariff reductions, debt relief for poorest nations and increased private investment up to $650 million.

China will also figure in the discussions. The Hong Kong hand over is only weeks away and the summit wants to send a strong message that the terms of the Basic Agreement must be respected. The human rights situation inside China, most favoured nation status and future: membership of the World Trade Organisation will also be discussed.

As if all that's not enough, there will be two other summits going on in Denver. One is called, "The Other Economic Summit" or the "People's Summit" and will bring together about 50 grassroots organisations to "highlight problems with economic policies that solely benefit profits over people".

The other is a Women's Summit which will focus on women's rights in the US and abroad. It will feature a "hunger banquet" to show up the feasting going on in the fancy venues such as the Fort Restaurant, noted for its buffalo, elk and beef dishes.