Kazakh President Says G8, CIS Should Cooperate

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev (file photo) (ITAR-TASS) July 14, 2006 -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev says the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrialized states and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) could benefit from mutual cooperation.

Speaking on the eve of a G8 summit in St. Petersburg, the president of oil-rich Kazakhstan said CIS countries are major suppliers of oil and gas while "high oil prices [and] growing dependency on energy... are a focus of attention for all countries."


Nazarbaev will attend the G8 summit in his capacity as head of the Council of CIS Presidents.


(ITAR-TASS)

G8 Summit: St. Petersburg, July 15-17

G8 Summit: St. Petersburg, July 15-17

A worker hangs G8 banners outside the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg (epa)

SITTING DOWN AT THE TABLE: On July 15-17, Russia hosts the leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrialized countries in its northern capital, St. Petersburg. The event is a landmark in Russia's reemergence on the international stage after more than a decade of painful transition. In many ways, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be the strongest and most confident of the leaders at the meeting, despite international concerns about the state of Russia's democratic development. Below are links to some of RFE/RL's reporting on the run-up to this major international event.

Confident Kremlin Prepares To Preside Over G8 Summit

G8 Foreign Ministers Meet To Map Out Summit Agenda

Opposition, NGOs Gather Ahead Of G8 Summit

Barroso Calls On G8 To Agree Global Energy Principles

G8 Presidency Spurs 'Exceptional' PR Response

MORE: Follow the coverage of the G8 summit in St. Petersburg in Russian on the website of RFE/RL's Russian Service. An archive of RFE/RL's coverage of Russia in English.