MOSCOW, May 3 (RIA Novosti) - Has Russia fully integrated into the G7? It is too early to say yes now, warns Tony Brenton, British Ambassador to Russia.
True, Russia has been a full-fledged G7 country, politically-wise, since 1995, but that is not so in the economic field. True, Russian economic progress gained pace within the few preceding years-but not enough to get on a par with the world's leaders, he pointed out to a news conference in Moscow. Russia will come really close to genuine integration when it affords pledges toward developing national economies-for instance, by writing off their debts, the diplomat went on.
Russia is among developing countries' major creditors. Estimations of the lump debt vary from a hundred to 130 billion US dollars. More than 30 billion has been written off within the preceding five years. Syria was about the latest instances, with more than ten billion dollars written off, January last.
Britain will come as G8 chair country within the year, and intends to firmly join hands with Russia's government so as to smooth up the approaching transition as Russia overtakes the chair next year. The duties will give it a practical chance to show its worth in ambitious transnational matters, Mr. Brenton said assuredly.
The G7 is a community of the world's foremost industrial countries for joint decision-making on topical global political, economic and developmental issues. It appeared as G6, 1975, when spokesmen of six countries-France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USA-gathered in Rambouillet, France. Canada eventually joined in to change the arrangement to G7. Will Russia soon make it G8?
