The messages read, in part:
“The central topic in all our discussions will be cooperation between governments in overcoming the global financial and economic crisis. The discussion will develop and build upon the decisions made at London’s G20 summit, including on topics such as bringing order to the financial sector, stimulating commerce, and the need for structural changes to the economy, aimed toward a transfer to energy-efficient growth on the basis of breakthrough technologies.”
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“We are particularly concerned about issues of providing assistance to the least developed countries, which were particularly hard-hit by the crisis. The crisis has already aggravated the difficulties in implementing the Millennium Development Goals. In L’Aquila, we will affirm Russia’s intention to increase its input into international efforts to promote development, first and foremost in areas such as public health and education.”
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“Within the context of promoting growth, the summit will address problems tied to the rational use of water resources. It is expected that we will adopt a strategy for further implementing the Evian Water Action Plan, which was adopted by the G8 in 2003.”
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“The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction will be a key issue on our political agenda. We will be discussing non-proliferation-related problems with a view toward the review conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Arms which will be held next year. The conference will be critically important in improving international security.”
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“G8 member-states are determined to affirm their unity in the fight against terrorism and to designate areas for developing cooperation on this key issue.”
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“The situation in Afghanistan is of particular interest among regional topics. We support the position that countries in that region, Afghanistan’s neighbours in the first place, should play a greater role in helping to resolve its problems. Based on the decisions made at the SCO conference on Afghanistan in Moscow last March, we will advocate taking specific measures to strengthen cooperation between governments in fighting drug trafficking and terrorism stemming from Afghanistan.”
The President of Russia also noted that he expects to have discussions on the issues of improving energy security, global climate change, global food security, nuclear problems stemming from North Korea and Iran, and fighting piracy.
The G8 summit is taking place in L’Aquila, Italy, on July 8 −10, 2009.