G8 important instrument of protecting Russia's national interests

Russia views the Group of Eight as an important and vital instrument for securing and protecting its interests and a mechanism for providing normal, promising, transparent conditions for global development, Andrei Illarionov, economic adviser and G8 sherpa for the President of Russia, said in a statement.

He said that decisions taken there are relevant to the country's wellbeing. At the same time, he indicated they can only be successfully tackled within the framework of international organizations. "Such problems as terrorism, public health issues, the spread of epidemics, cannot be tackled successfully within one country," said Illarionov, stressing that it would take the consolidated efforts of many countries to defeat them.

Further, he noted, "There are also some particular problems where the G8 has proved a happy instrument of solution." The sherpa cited the global partnership for nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other such materials.

At the G8 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, a decision was made to earmark some $20 billion for destruction of such weapons and materials in a series of countries. Russia became the first recipient of that program. Illarionov said Moscow would get "a great part" of the money.

But he pointed out that Moscow was a donor as well as a recipient of the money, as it must contribute $2 billion over a decade.