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Russia's G8 presidency

Fedotov: G8 may settle global problems exclusively jointly with civil society

MOSCOW, January 01, 11:14 /ITAR-TASS/. The Group of Eight countries will be able to settle global issues only jointly with the civil society, head of the presidential human rights council Mikhail Fedotov said in an interview with Itar-Tass on January 1 as Russia had taken over presidency in G8.

“In all the spheres - fighting the drug threat, terrorism, extremism, formation of the system to manage risks from natural and man-made disasters, in providing sustainable economic growth - a key role will be that of the civil society,” Fedotov said. “Governments should share responsibilities with the civil society and join their efforts in settlement of those problems.”

Seven years earlier, as Russia chaired G8, the presidential Council initiated a G8 civil summit, he continued.

“This initiative came from the Council, namely from its head - Ella Panfilova. Since then, the format has been used not only in G8, but also in G20.”

“Now, following orders from the Russian president, we shall prepare a civil forum, which is due in May, 2014. It will not be the only partner of the summit. There will be also a youth and a business forum,” Fedotov said. “All the three events will be organised on different dates and will work on the principle of cross-pollination,” he continued as saying. “The first one to be organised is the youth forum, and its suggestions will be presented to the civil forum, which will follow in several days, and later on will take place a business forum, which will contain reports from the youth and the civil forums. On January 1, the G8 summit’s site will be available, and it will quite soon offer information on the youth, civil and business forums.

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Foreign policy G8 Summit in Sochi

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