O. Barabanov, Head of Department of EU Politics and Policies, European Studies Institute, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University) of the MFA of Russia

According to statistics we can see the increasing number of political issues in the G8 agenda, but still we have the stereotype that the summit is not for political but for economic and financial issues, and after rise of anti-globalization movement it’s for global social issues. And political issues is just the case for change of views among presidents and not for real commitments and not compliance. What makes success, it will not be the political issues on the agenda. Maybe this increasing number of political issues starting in the early 1990s was ecause of the fact of partial participation of Russia in those summits, when you had P8 and G7 and first political discussions of terrorism and security etc. with Russian president and then G7 turned to normal agenda of economy and finances.

Another point, very interesting and controversial for Russia, if we’re talking about political issues. Is the G8 the value-oriented organization or not. We heard already sometimes the ideas that Russia is not democratic, not free and should be excluded from G8. Sometimes from American right, sometimes from EU and now with the process of ratification of Lisbon treaty with EU where it’s clearly written that foreign policy should be value oriented. Still we have rather different understanding of values in international politics between Russia and other G8 members.

Another factor is the factor of newcomer. The Russian newcomers— new president Medvedev will participate at Hokkaido summit. So it would be useful to reflect on the possible ‘road map’ for Medvedev for his approach to G8 agenda. The article is dedicated to these problems.