BNE: No one can kick Russia out of G8

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – March 25, 2014)

“I would never want to be member of a club that wanted me as a member,” Marco Grouch famously said.

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov came out with pretty much the same defence after Russia was suspended from participating in the G8 meetings and international leaders due in Russia for the next meeting have cancelled.

Russia does not ‘cling’ to the G8 format has sees no problems if there is no summit, Lavrov told journalists on March 24.

“If our Western partners think that this format is outdated, then let it be so. At least we do not cling to this format and see no problem if it does not convene,” Lavrov told a news conference in The Hague on Monday.

Lavrov added that Russia cannot be kicked out (currently Ru ssia’s participation is only “suspended” according to German Chancellor Angela Merkel) as the G8 is not a formal organization, but an informal group that meets occasionally.

“As to the G8, as you know the G8 is an informal club, no one issues membership cards and by default no one can expel anyone from there,” Lavrov said at the news conference.

Bravado aside, Russia really doesn’t care that much about the G8 as it has been hoping to sideline it and make the broader G20 the key international body.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said explicitly in his keynote speech in 2012 that it was time for the G20, which includes many of the world’s emerging markets, to take over the reigns of global coordination as it fits better with his conception of a ‘multipolar’ world.

“The time has come for the G20 to take on the full responsibility of effective leadership. This means that the G20 should not turn into another elite club that cares only about it s members. Selfishness and backroom deals do not add to stability and confidence. The G20 is to become a venue for elaborating fair rules for the sustainable development of the entire global economy,” Putin said in his speech.