G-20 - Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Centr : We would like to show maximum commitment to our role in the G20 presidency, says Dmitry Medvedev at Davos

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gave an interview to the German business newspaper Handelsblatt, in which he commented on the agenda of Russia's G20 presidency.

In answering a question about Russia's plans for its presidency, Mr. Medvedev said, "We would like to show maximum commitment to our role in the G20 presidency, in order to implement as much of the global agenda as possible during our presidency." The Prime Minister said that eight main priorities have been drawn up and will be included in the St.Petersburg Plan.  

According to Mr. Medvedev, Russia's main objectives include the growth of economies and reducing the number of unemployed. "In 2008-2009, the unemployment rate in Russia was causing a great concern. It is currently at 5%, but we know of countries, including some in the European Union, where the unemployment rate is critically high," he said.

Mr. Medvedev also said that one of the key issues of Russia's G20 agenda is the improvement of the financial system. Special attention will be paid to budget consolidation and to the fulfillment of obligations taken, as well as the realization of the Basel III standard and the improvement of the situation in the banking sector. "The most important thing is that we should fulfill our obligations, first of all, those concerning the budget deficit. This is one of the biggest problems. Most states have made obligations, but not all manage to fulfill them," Mr. Medvedev concluded.