MOSCOW, May 18 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will represent Russia at a regular meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight at Camp David (USA) on May 18-19.
“The Group of Eight is an important mechanism for coordinating the positions of the leading industrialised nations on global issues, current international political issues, social and humanitarian aspects of assistance to international development,” the press service of the Russian government reported. “We regard the G8 effective work as one of the most important means of strengthening global governance on a collective basis. In this spirit, we will prepare for the presidency of the Russian Federation in the Group of Eight in 2014.”
The American G8 presidency in 2012 identified as priorities the following issues: economic growth, food security (with a focus on Africa), energy security, assistance to Afghanistan, cooperation with Arab countries that are going through political and socio-economic transformation. The summit participants are expected to adopt a final declaration, which will contain a number of decisions and action plans on the above priority sphere.
The G8 leaders will also traditionally discuss the most important international policy issues. This year, under the summit program, the first day of the work will focus on the exchange of views on the situation in Syria, the Iranian nuclear program issues, North Korea’s nuclear program and other current issues.
During preparations for the summit, the Russian side proposed to put on the agenda the issue of the fight against international terrorism.
The American presidency focused the economic debate on stimulating economic growth and job creation. Despite the fact that the G20 is the leading global forum for the consideration of financial and economic issues, the Camp David meeting participants will discuss some of the problems, causing economic growth slowing down in the G8 states.
Another important issue in this sphere is the need to accelerate the reform of international financial institutions so as to bring them into line with new economic realities - the transformation of developing countries and countries with economies in transition into the locomotives of economic growth and shifting the “the balance of power” in the global economy in their favour.
Energy security, which will also be touched upon at the summit, is closely linked with economic issues. Back in 2006, at the initiative of Russia that presided in the G8, the group approved the principles of global energy security, which remain fully valid.
The Camp David meeting will discuss, in particular, the need for efficient use of a wide range of energy resources, including both fossil-based and renewable energy sources, implementation of Russia’s proposals to strengthen nuclear safety, the need for the safe use of new technologies for the extraction of hydrocarbons, a careful analysis of their environmental impact and taking into account the findings of this analysis for making economic decisions.
During the discussion of climate issues Russia believes it is important to focus on the successful completion of the preparation of a comprehensive agreement that provides for the legal obligations of all the parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These negotiations are conducted based on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The American presidency has proposed to focus the G8 work on Africa’s food security by launching the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. The objective of this initiative is to increase private investment in African countries’ agricultural sector, the transfer of advanced technologies, reducing the investment risks in agriculture. A package of measures in the above spheres, aimed at supporting the implementation by African countries of their national agriculture development plans is planned o be adopted within the New Alliance.
The discussion of these issues at the summit will be held in an extended format, with the participation of the heads of several African countries, international financial institutions and private corporations.
The Camp David summit will focus much attention on the issue of support for Afghanistan during the transition period linked with the plans for the withdrawal of the international military force from the country.
The G8 leaders are expected to discuss the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, including in the context of the Deauville Summit’s decisions on the establishment of partnerships with the ‘Arab Spring’ countries (Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, as well as donors – a number of countries of the Persian Gulf) in order to support the political and economic reform. The American presidency has proposed to develop the French initiative, working out a detailed action plan for the implementation of partnerships in four areas - stabilisation of the economy, creating jobs, improving governance, including fighting corruption, promoting regional integration and exchange with the countries of the region.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will hold a number of bilateral meetings “on the margins” of the summit with the participating heads of state and government.