MOSCOW, July 11 (RIA Novosti) - The head of the Russian upper house's international affairs committee urged on Saturday the expansion of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations.
"Only expanding the circle of participants will give the summit decisions more guarantees of their fulfillment," Mikhail Margelov said, adding that according to experts, India and China should hold a permanent place in the G8.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said shortly before the G8 summit that took place in Italy's L'Aquila July 8-10 that the Group of Eight should be expanded, and reiterated his support for a move to the G14 format.
The G8 comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. Germany, Italy and France have in the past urged expansion of the G8 by including China, India, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt and Brazil.
