Expert opinion

	03.12.06 Victoria Panova G8 research group, University of Toronto, Director for Russia
	03.12.06 Mona Bricke German NGO Forum Environment and Development
	03.12.06 Nigel Martin Montreal International Rorum (FIM)
	02.12.06 John Kirton Head of G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
	02.12.06 Regina Gunter Head of the WWF Germany

News

Financial G7-Russia meeting to be held in usual regime-official

WASHINGTON, April 18 (Itar-Tass) — A meeting of the financial G7 of the leading world powers and Russia will be held in the US capital this Friday. Spokesman for the US Department of the Treasury Tony Fratto confirmed this answering an Itar-Tass question if some changes in the order of the meeting are expected owing to the fact that Russia is presiding in the political Group of Eight this year.
Fratto said he did not think that any changes should be expected. According to him, irrespective of which country presides in the G8 the meetings of the financial club are held in Washington twice a year in the run-up to the spring and autumn session of the IMF and World Bank governing bodies. This time it will be the same, he said. The IMF-WB session is scheduled for the weekend of April 22-23 and the financiers of the G7 and Russia will gather separately on the eve of the session.
The US Treasury Department spokesman said the agenda for discussion by finance ministers and heads of central banks is drafted on the basis of a consensus. Fratto said earlier that the coming meeting participants would discuss the factors of world economy imbalance, high energy resources prices, fighting against financing of international terrorism and other vital matters.
In recent years the financial Group of Seven has been regularly inviting Russia and representatives of other countries playing an important role in the international economy to attend its meetings. This time the G7 meeting participants will hold an enlarged working dinner after internal discussions. However, Fratto declined to comment on which countries will be invited. According to the official, not all invited countries have so far confirmed their participation. Traditionally, these countries are Brazil, India, China and South Africa.

Expert opinion

	02.12.06 Halter Marek Le College de France
	02.12.06 Olivier Giscard d’Estaing COPAM, France
	02.12.06 Mika Ohbayashi Institute for Sustainable Energy Poliсy
	02.12.06 Bill Pace World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy
	01.12.06 Peter I. Hajnal Toronto University, G8 Research Group