G8 Finance Ministers will continue their meetings in France

The main functions of the May 16-17 meeting of the G8 finance ministers will be held in Deauville, France, on Saturday. Russia is represented by Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin. The main goal of the ministers is to prepare for the June 1-3 G8 summit in Evian, France.

Since the key task is to prod on economic growth, the ministers will discuss more effective forms of aid to the poorest countries of the world and mid-term economic prospects. The agenda also includes the discussion of struggle against the financing of terrorism, money laundering and prevention and settlement of crises.

Sources in the French ministry of finance think the ministers may also discuss such issues as the influence of the SARS epidemic on the financial and economic situation in South East Asia and the Far East.

Gennady Yezhov, press secretary of Aleksei Kudrin, said the minister would attend all stages of all discussions and tell his colleagues about the current situation in Russia (including in the economy) and the development of stock markets. Kudrin will also hold several bilateral meetings before returning to Moscow on Sunday morning.