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The leaders of the world’s eight best-developed countries planted a Peace Tree in the Bankoku Shinryo-kan garden before their morning meeting.

The meeting that followed the symbolic ceremony mainly focused on economic issues. President Putin informed his G8 partners about positive trends in the Russian economy. He expressed determination for consistent structural and financial changes in the national economy and for eliminating discrepancies between regional and national legislation.

The G8 leaders exchanged opinions on writing off the poorest countries’ debts and on economic and humanitarian aid to developing countries. They also discussed current international issues, including many aspects of regional security. The G8 summed up the discussion with a Statement on Regional Issues.

The summit participants paid special attention to Pyongyang’s proposal, with which Vladimir Putin acquainted them. According to it, North Korea is willing to give up its current missile programme, which has aroused many countries’ suspicions, in exchange for an opportunity to launch one or two civil-purpose Earth satellites a year from other countries and with their assistance. The heads of state and government adopted a G8 statement concerning the Korean Peninsula, which greets North and South Korea’s reciprocal efforts to bring down tensions and establish lasting peace in Northeast Asia.

The G8 leaders discussed the prospects of global information technological revolution and confirmed dedication to efforts to make all people in the world share information society benefits. The Okinawa Charter on Global Information Society, adopted at the meeting, stresses the leading role of progress in that field in guaranteeing sustained economic development and enhancing public welfare.

The summit participants expressed an intention to step up, even within this year, preparations for another round of negotiations in the framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The summit leaders advanced an initiative for “a new partnership” against infectious diseases, mainly AIDS and malaria.