08 June 2004 23:02
Russia does not need G8 membership - nationalist leaders
[No dateline, as received] Russia does not need membership of the G8 at all, Aleksey Mitrofanov, a member of the
Russian Liberal Democratic Party [LDPR], told Ekho Moskvy, adding that this is the LDPR's stance on the matter.
"We believe that no [international] club is serious without India and China being its members," he
said.
"The G8 is a tool of US influence in the world and it is not clear why we should have joined it," he
said.
He said that in contrast to G7 countries, that are in essence under US influence, Russia is "a world power in
itself, unoccupied by foreign troops". In Mitrofanov's view, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization [SCO] is
more interesting. "It is an interesting organization, we ourselves have set it up and the Chinese did well, it was
their initiative. This structure should be developed," Mitrofanov said.
[In its later report at 1430 gmt on 8 June Ekho Moskvy agency, in Russian, quoted State Duma Rodina bloc leader
Dmitriy Rogozin as saying that membership of the G8 is not important for Russia. "This is more of an opportunity to
meet world leaders and to discuss the world's basic problems, including those touching upon Russia's
interests. There is more use than harm in it," Rogozin is quoted as saying.]
[Ekho Moskvy news agency] |
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