July 06, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many Russians believe their country belongs in the group of the world's leading industrialized and democratic nations, according to a poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center. 58 per cent of respondents believe the G-8 should include the Russian Federation on a permanent basis.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many Russians believe their country belongs in the group of the world's leading industrialized and democratic nations, according to a poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center. 58 per cent of respondents believe the G-8 should include the Russian Federation on a permanent basis.

The G-8 was created after the 1998 Birmingham summit. Russia had attended previous meetings of the G-7, but had been excluded from specific discussions on financial and economic matters. The group holds annual summits where the heads of government of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States discuss economic and political affairs. The European Union (EU) also attends these meetings as an observer.

British prime minister Tony Blair has declared that global climate change and economic development in Africa will be his two priorities during this year's meeting, which begins today in Perthshire, Scotland.

Russia will host the 2006 G-8 summit in Saint Petersburg. 54 per cent of respondents believe the fight against international terrorism should be the main topic of the meeting. Environmental protection, fighting global epidemics, regulating armed conflicts, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the development of the economy and democracy in the former Soviet Republics are next on the list of concerns.

In December, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a controversial bill that effectively eliminates the election of Russia's 89 governors by popular vote. The provision allows the president himself to nominate every governor, and await confirmation by regional legislatures.

In February, Republican Arizona senator John McCain and Democratic Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman re-introduced legislation in the United States Congress aimed a suspending Russia from the G-8 for failing to implement democratic and political freedoms.

Polling Data

Should Russia remain as a permanent member of the G-8?

	Jun. 2005	May 2005
Yes	58%	51%
No	14%	16%
Hard to answer	28%	33%

Russia will chair next year's G-8 meeting. Which topics would you say should be most important?

The fight against international terrorism	54%
Environmental protection	32%
Fight global epidemics (malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, AIDS and others)	31%
Regulating armed conflicts	23%
Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons	21%
Development of economy and democracy in the former Soviet Republics	18%
Development of global information technologies (computers, Internet)	9%
Aid to developing nations	7%
Liberalization of international trade	6%
Hard to answer	15%

Source: All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center
Methodology: Interviews to 1,594 Russian adults, conducted on Jun. 25 and Jun. 26, 2005. Margin of error is 3.4 per cent.