The Russian Foreign Ministry described on...

This weekend, Iqaluit, Canada, will host a meeting of seven Western finance ministers from G8 states excluding Russia.

In previous years, Russia, although not a full member of the ministerial format of meetings, attended part of their sessions. The Western partners explained their decision not to invite Russia to Canada saying the meeting was intended as an informal exchange of opinions in the G7 format.

"Russia has repeatedly voiced its opinion, including to Canada"s G8 presidency, over the lack of Russia"s full-format participation in such meetings. We think that is an incorrect approach that reflects old political stereotypes," Andrei Nesterenko said.

However, the diplomat played down the role of what he described as narrow-format events against the background of the G20, "a major international forum for discussions of financial and economic issues."

"It is no longer possible to make strategic decisions on the world"s financial and economic architecture

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