Putin: We are listening to our colleagues’ opinions but take decisions on our own

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“We carefully listen to all our partners, consider their opinions but will take decisions on our own,” REGNUM correspondent reports Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying at a G8 summit briefing in Strelnya, St. Petersburg on July 16. The Russian President’s words came as response to a British journalist’s question referring to Prime Minister of Great Britain Tony Blair’s statement in which the latter expressed disappointment in attitude towards democracy in Russia.

Putin also remarked that various problems of all the member countries could be discussed during the summit. “We can, for example, touch upon the subject of fighting corruption, study your experience,” Putin said to the British journalist.

The G8 summit convened in St. Petersburg on July 15. In the coming days, leaders of Russia, USA, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada, as well as the Chairman of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and heads of invited states will hold a number of sessions and bilateral meetings.