G-20 Summit in London

London, April 2nd, 2009

Czech Prime Minister and President of the European Council Mirek Topolánek together with Czech Finance Minister and President of the Ecofin Council Miroslav Kalousek are attending the G20 Summit in London.

The aim of the meeting of the most economically important countries is to coordinate the ways to fight the effects of the economic crisis.

“As President of the European Council I can confirm that it is sometimes very difficult and at the same time highly important to reach agreement and proceed jointly,” said Mirek Topolánek, who represents the governments of the EU Member States at the summit. “Since the crisis has a global character, we have to fight its consequences in a coordinated way on the same global level”.

The Czech Presidency has repeatedly expressed confidence that despite different starting positions of the individual countries it will be possible to reach an agreement that will prevent protectionism and new barriers on world markets.

“According to the European Union it is crucial that the International Monetary Fund has sufficient means at its disposal for countries stricken with the current crisis,” said Miroslav Kalousek while adding that the EU Member States are prepared to strengthen the lending capacity of the IMF by means of a loan in the amount of 75 billion euros.

Participants in this meeting will include representatives of the most influential economies from all continents that, when combined, represent 90% of the world population and 80% of trade – Australia, Argentina, Brazil, China, the European Union, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, USA and the UK.

The highest representatives of the G20 countries met already yesterday at an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and later at a working dinner hosted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose country is the country presiding over the G20 this year.

Radka Kohutová,
Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Finance

Jiří František Potužník,
Spokesman of the Prime Minister for the Czech EU Presidency