STRELNA (near St. Petersburg), July 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will back an expansion of the Group of Eight if its partners in the club of the world's most industrialized nations voice such a proposal, President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.
"If our partners believe the raising of this issue... is possible, we will of course support it," Putin said.
The leaders of Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada gathered in St. Petersburg Saturday for a three-day summit.
Putin reminded journalists that Russia had become a member of the group only comparatively recently, which it did in 1998.
"I think it would be incorrect for me to put forward an initiative on this matter," Putin said.
However, he did say it would be difficult to imagine how international financial and energy problems could be solved without involving China, India and Brazil.
