G8 summit to establish Mideastern forum

The Administration of President George Bush Jr. hopes that a "forum for the future" will be established at ministerial level after the forthcoming June 8-10 G8 summit on Sea Island, Georgia. This was disclosed to correspondents here today by a high-ranking US Administration spokesperson, who is directly participating in pre-summit preparations. That forum would be expected to promote regional reforms. Meanwhile the projected G8 summit is to involve some Mideastern leaders for the first time ever.

In his words, the "forum for the future" would hold regular sessions involving G8 foreign ministers and economics ministers, as well as those from Mideastern countries taking part in this initiative.

The "forum for the future" won't be some kind of an official organization replete with a secretariat or any other structures. However, the "forum for the future" would resemble the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in terms of its format, the US Administration spokesman went on to say.

The leaders of Jordan, Bahrein, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Algeria and Yemen were invited to attend one of the G8 summit's sessions that will discuss Mideastern reforms.

Replying to a RIA Novosti question about the involvement of such countries as Egypt or Saudi Arabia in the projected "forum for the future", the US Administration spokesman noted that, in Washington's opinion, quite a few regional countries, whose list will be clarified later on, will participate in ministerial conferences. However, Egyptian and Saudi Arabian leaders declined to attend the forthcoming G8 summit.