GENEVA (AFP) - Switzerland wants to take part in the next summit in April of the Group of 20 leading nations on the global economic crisis, Economy Minister Doris Leuthard said in an interview published Saturday.
"I hope we can be present" at the April 2 meeting in London, Leuthard told the daily Le Temps, adding, "we would not just be extras."
While Switzerland does not figure among the world's top 20 economic powers, it makes the rankings as a financial center, Leuthard said.
She predicted that the country would not escape a recession in technical terms - two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product - and forecast growth of well below one% in 2009 with deep cuts in exports.
However, Switzerland should not experience a major recession accompanied by soaring unemployment and a collapse in demand, Leuthard said.
The Group of 20 incorporates the G7 of long-standing major industrialized countries - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.S. - plus emerging financial giants Brazil, China, India and Russia.
Also members are Argentina, Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the European Union.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 06, 2008 08:12 ET (13:12 GMT)

Publié le 06 Décembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones