MOSCOW, February 6 (RIA Novosti) - International officials and energy specialists will gather in Moscow on February 9-10 to prepare for meeting of energy ministers from the G8 club of industrialized nations, the Russian Industry and Energy Ministry said Monday.

The ministry said the session would involve more than 50 specialists from the World Bank, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and OPEC.

The main goals of the meeting will be to set priority areas for discussion at the G8 energy ministers' meeting, scheduled for March 15-16, to prepare the meeting's agenda, and to draw up draft decisions and recommendations.

Russia currently holds the rotating presidency of the G8. St. Petersburg will host the country's first summit of G8 leaders on July 15-17, 2006.