Expert opinion

	03.12.06 Victoria Panova G8 research group, University of Toronto, Director for Russia
	03.12.06 Mona Bricke German NGO Forum Environment and Development
	03.12.06 Nigel Martin Montreal International Rorum (FIM)
	02.12.06 John Kirton Head of G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
	02.12.06 Regina Gunter Head of the WWF Germany

News

Russian President Putin Calls the G8 to Fight the Bird Flu Together

Russian President Vladimir Putin called new diseases, particularly, the bird flu problem, one of the most important issues to discuss within the July G8 summit in St Petersburg.
In his article published in “Rossiiskaya Gazeta” Vladimir Putin mentioned that the infectious diseases today engender every third death in the world.
“The progress made might seem encouraging: smallpox was eliminated once and for all throughout the world while fight against poliomyelitis is drawing to a close. Yet our times are also plagued by the outbreaks of both known and new and highly dangerous diseases such as AIDS, exotic viral hemorrhagic fever, microplasma infections, and bird flu. According to experts, in the years to come there is a high probability of a new strain of pandemic influenza that would claim millions of lives”, - says the article.
Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia would like to suggest the reactivation of efforts in this regard, including the adoption of a strategic action plan of the G8 to fight bird flu and prevent new human flu pandemics. “In general, the Group should not and must not stay indifferent to such enormous challenges as combating infectious diseases”, - he added.

Expert opinion

	02.12.06 Halter Marek Le College de France
	02.12.06 Olivier Giscard d’Estaing COPAM, France
	02.12.06 Mika Ohbayashi Institute for Sustainable Energy Poliсy
	02.12.06 Bill Pace World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy
	01.12.06 Peter I. Hajnal Toronto University, G8 Research Group