Speakers of G8 Parliaments to Meet in St. Petersburg

September 11   Speakers of G8 parliaments will discuss ways in which legislatures can contribute to solving urgent global problems in St. Petersburg this weekend.

"The fifth annual meeting of G8 speakers will take place at the Taurida Palace in St. Petersburg on September 15-17," said Chairman of the Duma's International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev. He said that traditionally such meetings are hosted by the country which holds the G8 presidency and are attended by the heads of the lower chambers of parliament.

Kosachev said there would be two items on the agenda: Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Dennis Hastert will make a report on legislative support for efforts to counter new threats and challenges, and President of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert will talk about how parliaments can help achieve global energy security.

Speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov will open the forum and chair its sessions.

Kosachev said speakers would come from all the G8 countries except France and Italy, which would send deputy speakers for organizational reasons. He explained that according to tradition no final documents are adopted at the speakers' summits; rather, the participants merely exchange opinions on fundamental principles of law making.

"The July G8 summit in St. Petersburg has encouraged national parliaments to improve laws on combating international terrorism, drug trafficking, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and infectious diseases, as well as on preventing technological disasters and settling regional conflicts," Kosachev said. 

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