2013 G20 Saint Petersburg summit

{{see also|International reactions to the Syrian civil war}}

The summit was dominated by questions regarding the Syrian civil war and any potential international reaction to the Ghouta chemical attacks. The summit came after U.S.-led efforts to obtain a UN Security Council resolution authorising military strikes against the Assad government had failed due to Russian and Chinese opposition. The House of Commons of the United Kingdom had defeated a motion regarding UK involvement in any strike on 30 August{{cite web|title=Syria crisis: Cameron loses Commons vote on Syria action|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23892783|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 September 2013|date=30 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906095823/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23892783|archive-date=6 September 2013}} and U.S. politicians were debating potential action as the summit was ongoing.{{cite web|title=Obama: US cannot ignore Syria chemical weapons|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23999066|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 September 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909011205/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23999066|archive-date=9 September 2013}}

Media billed the summit as a contest between U.S. President Barack Obama, trying to garner support for military action, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in opposition to any such action.{{cite web|last=Kendall|first=Bridget|title=Syria crisis: No clear winner in Russia-US G20 duel|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23999009|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 September 2013|date=7 September 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908025005/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23999009|archive-date=8 September 2013}} 11 countries signed a U.S.-authored statement blaming and condemning the Assad government for the attacks and calling for a "strong international response".

Russia, as this year's chair, hosted the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors' meeting in Moscow on 15 and 16 February 2013.{{cite web|title=The G20|url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/g20/|publisher=Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|access-date=5 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805223214/http://dfat.gov.au/trade/g20/|archive-date=5 August 2013}} While preparing for the September summit, the most pressing subject addressed – "desperately" according to Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty – was protectionist actions such as competitive devaluations. Japan, represented by finance minister Taro Aso, "escape[d] criticism" for the 20% drop in the yen that had stemmed from its recent reflationary policies. The "nations declared ... there would be no currency war and deferred plans to set new debt-cutting targets, underlining broad concern about the fragile state of the world economy", per Reuters.Palmer, Randall, and Kelly, Lidia (16 February 2013) [https://www.reuters.com/article/g-idUSL6N0BG0PP20130216 "Update 3: G20 steps back from currency brink, heat off Japan"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218120645/http://www.reuters.com//article/2013/02/16/g-idUSL6N0BG0PP20130216 |date=18 February 2013 }}, Reuters, Retrieved 5 August 2013.

Another meeting of the same participants was held in Moscow on 18 and 19 April 2013.

File:2013 G-20 Saint Petersburg summit (1).jpg.]]

This meeting was the second time an Australian Prime Minister could not be in attendance, with Kevin Rudd being represented by Foreign Minister Bob Carr, owing to the timing of a federal election on 7 September. In 2010, Rudd had been unable to attend when he was displaced as prime minister two days before the 2010 G20 Toronto summit, at which Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan then represented Australia.[http://www.ctvnews.ca/leaders-arrive-in-canada-ahead-of-g8-g20-summits-1.525981 Leaders arrive in Canada ahead of G8/G20 summits] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022123429/http://www.ctvnews.ca/leaders-arrive-in-canada-ahead-of-g8-g20-summits-1.525981 |date=22 October 2013 }} CTV News, 24 June 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2013Jorgensen, Hugh. [http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2013/08/07/The-G20-non-attendance-we-had-to-have.aspx If the G20 is so great, why isn't Rudd going?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908075021/http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2013/08/07/The-G20-non-attendance-we-had-to-have.aspx |date=8 September 2013 }} at Lowy Institute for International Policy, 7 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013

During the summit, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh focused on the ongoing economic crisis and urged the G20 nations to pay more attention to their monetary policies.{{cite web|title=Manmohan Singh urges G20 Nation to review their Monetary Policies|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/09/full-text-of-prime-minister-manmohan-singhs-speech-at-st-petersburg-g-20-summit/|access-date=5 September 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907101401/http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/09/full-text-of-prime-minister-manmohan-singhs-speech-at-st-petersburg-g-20-summit/|archive-date=7 September 2013}}

After a suggestion by South African President Zuma to invite additional representatives from African nations to St Petersburg, Russia's President Vladimir Putin declared that he appreciates this suggestion, and is ready to welcome leaders from the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to the G20 summit in St Petersburg.[=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/18129 Press statements following talks with President of South Africa Jacob Zuma]

File:Cristinakirchnermensaje2010.jpg|{{flagicon|ARG}} Argentina
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President

File:Bob Carr.jpg|{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia
Bob Carr, Minister of Foreign Affairs

File:Dilma Rousseff - foto oficial 2011-01-09.jpg|{{flagicon|BRA}} Brazil
Dilma Rousseff, President

File:Stephen-Harper-Cropped-2014-02-18.jpg|{{flagicon|CAN}} Canada
Stephen Harper, Prime Minister

File:Xi_Jinping_2016.jpg|{{Flagu|China}}
Xi Jinping, President|alt=ChinaXi Jinping, President

File:Francois Hollande 2015.jpeg|{{flagicon|FRA|1974}} France
François Hollande, President

File:Angela Merkel - Juli 2010 - 3zu4 cropped.jpg|{{flagicon|GER}} Germany
Angela Merkel, Chancellor

File:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in WEF ,2009 (cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|IND}} India
Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister

File:Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, official presidential portrait (2009).jpg|{{flagicon|Indonesia}} Indonesia
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President

File:Enrico Letta 2013.jpg|{{flagicon|ITA}} Italy
Enrico Letta, Prime Minister

File:Shinzō Abe Official.jpg|{{flagicon|JPN}} Japan
Shinzō Abe, Prime Minister

File:Enrique Peña Nieto, June 2017.jpg|{{flagicon|MEX}} Mexico
Enrique Peña Nieto, President

File:Vladimir Putin - 2006.jpg|{{flagicon|RUS}} Russia
Vladimir Putin, President (Host)

File:Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.jpg|{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}} Saudi Arabia
Abdullah, King

File:Jacob G. Zuma - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2010.jpg|{{flagicon|South Africa}} South Africa
Jacob Zuma, President

File:Park Geun-hye presidential portrait.png|{{flagicon|South Korea}} South Korea
Park Geun-hye, President

File:Recep Tayyip Erdogan.PNG|{{flagicon|Turkey}} Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister

File:Official-photo-cameron.png|{{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom
David Cameron, Prime Minister

File:President Barack Obama, 2012 portrait crop.jpg|{{flagicon|USA}} United States
Barack Obama, President

File:Herman Van Rompuy at the 37th G8 Summit in Deauville 030.jpg|{{flagicon|EU}} European Union
Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council

File:Barroso EPP Summit October 2010.jpg|{{flagicon|EU}} European Union
José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission

File:Hassanal Bolkiah.jpg|{{flagicon|Brunei}} Brunei
Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan, 2013 Chair of ASEAN

File:Hailemariam Desalegn - Closing Plenary- Africa's Next Chapter - World Economic Forum on Africa 2011.jpg|{{flagicon|Ethiopia}} Ethiopia
Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister, 2013 Chair of the African Union

File:Nursultan Nazarbayev 27092007.jpg|{{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} Kazakhstan
Nursultan Nazarbayev, President

File:Macky Sall - 2008.jpg|{{flagicon|Senegal}} Senegal
Macky Sall, President, 2013 Chair of NEPAD in 2013

File:Lee Hsien-Loong - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 cropped.jpg|{{flagicon|Singapore}} Singapore
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister, 2013 Chair of the International Monetary Fund and the Global Governance Group

File:Mariano Rajoy 2015c (cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|Spain}} Spain
Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister, Permanent guest invitee

{{Reflist}}

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{{Commons category}}

• [http://en.g20russia.ru/ Official Site]
• [http://www.oecd.org/g20/ G20 website of the OECD]
• [http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/09/full-text-of-prime-minister-manmohan-singhs-speech-at-st-petersburg-g-20-summit/ Full Text of India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Speech at St. Petersburg G20 Summit]
• [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/09/06/joint-statement-syria Joint Statement on Syria by 11 signatories]

{{G20 leaders' summits}}

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Category:2013 conferences

Category:2013 in international relations

G-20 Saint Petersburg summit

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Category:Diplomatic conferences in Russia

2013

Category:September 2013 in Russia