Talking about Russia's membership in "Financial 8" premature - Kudrin
WASHINGTON. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said Russia's joining the G8' finance community is not on the agenda right now.
Kudrin is currently in Washington, where annual meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund's boards of governors, and of the G8 finance minister are taking place.
Asked when Russia might be admitted to this community, Kudrin said, "Not this year." "It would be early to speculate on when this could happen," the Russian finance minister said.
Kudrin said Russia is not a member of the world's leading clubs - the World Trade Organization, or the Paris Club. "We are borrowers, not creditors," he said.
Kudrin also said that Russia's role in the world economy is insufficient, although the pace of Russia's economic growth has been faster than global in recent years, which suggests that the share of Russia in the global economy is also growing.