Moscow: India, China and Brazil are de facto members of the G8 as they played a role in working out the final documents of the summit of the world's top eight industrialised nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.
"Objectively speaking it is already expanding," Lavrov told business daily Kommersant when asked whether it was not high time that India, China and Brazil are admitted to the elite club.
"For several years, these nations along with others were invited for the summits. This year, for the first time we did not limit ourselves simply to inviting them to St Petersburg, but also involved their representatives for the preparatory work, which continued throughout this year for evolving the Petersburg summit agenda in all the directions," Lavrov said.
He noted that the finance, education and health ministers of India, China and Brazil had taken part in the preparatory activities of the St Petersburg summit's agenda.
"That is why in the documents, formally adopted by the G8, representatives of these nations also have their contribution," Lavrov underscored.
Lavrov recalled that in his closing press conference on Monday last, the G8 summit host President Vladimir Putin had clearly indicated that Russia sees the need to expand the number of member states, which could speak out on key issues in this format.
"With India, China and Brazil joining G8 leaders the discussions became more interesting and acquired a wholesome character," Putin had said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Brazilian President Lula Da Silva were the main invitees at the G8 Outreach session on July 17 in St Petersburg attended by the leaders of the US, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.
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