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Russia remains G8 member - German chancellor Merkel

Amid the signing of an agreement upon accession of Crimea to Russia, the Russian Federation still remains a member of the G8, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

She recalled that currently the case in hand is the suspending of preparations by leading western states to hold the G8 summit in Sochi in June. “Apart from that, no further decisions have been taken,” the German leader noted.

Merkel added that, as for the G8, “there is no further (progression of events)”.

Meanwhile, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini also stressed that “the G8 format is not abolished”. “In recent days, partners from the big seven already took the decision on suspending participation in preparing the G8 summit in Sochi. However, this refers to suspending work in the big eight format, but not to the abolishment of the format itself,” Mogherini said.

She stressed that “efforts are made to confirm this format”.

Head of the Italian diplomatic service also said that an option was discussed to send “a major OSCE mission comprising hundreds of observers”.

Earlier, French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius states that western states agreed to suspend Russia’s participation in G8. “As for G8, we decided to suspend Russia’s membership,” Fabius said live on radio station Europe-1. “All seven leading world powers, except Russia, are expected to meet,” the French foreign minister stated.

Russia not suspended from G8 - French Foreign Ministry spokesman Nadal

Russia remains a G8 member, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said. According to him, France has no plans to cancel its contract with Russia for the supply of the Mistral class ships to it.

Speaking on the French radio today, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that Russia’s participation in the G8 club had been suspended. But later the French Foreign Ministry spokesman corrected a statement made by his chief.

"The Foreign Minister only mentioned the fact that became known earlier that a collective decision on the suspension of the preparations for the organization’s summit, due to be held in Sochi, had been made within the framework of the G7|G8 Group", RIA Novosti said, citing Nadal.

"Besides, the French Foreign Ministry spokesman cleared the issue concerning the status of the contract for the supplies of the Mistral-class ships to Russia. On March 17 French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that Paris might cancel the contract for the supplies of the Mistral ships to Russia in case it continued its policy towards Ukraine.

Today the French Foreign Ministry corrected its stand.

"What we mean is only the suspension of the contract and nothing else. We are determined to do whatever is possible to prevent this from happening. However, the suspension of this contract remains a possibility," Nadal told a briefing Tuesday.

He stressed that that what was meant here was the third level of sanctions, and that the situation had not yet gone as far as that.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said the Group of Eight suspended Russia’s participation in their meetings. However, President Putin is still invited to visit France on June 6.

The other seven members of the group had already suspended preparations for a G-8 summit that Russia is scheduled to host in June in Sochi over the situation in Crimea.

Laurent Fabius went further today, telling Europe-1 radio that "concerning the G-8 ... we decided to suspend Russia’s participation, and it is envisaged that all the other countries, the seven leading countries, will unite without Russia”

He did not give further details.

Voice of Russia, TASS, RIA

 

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