ST. PETERSBURG, June 10 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has intensified its efforts towards full integration into the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations, including gaining an equal role in the group's financial discussions, the Russian finance minister said Saturday.

"This is a very good step for Russia toward real integration into the G8's financial mechanisms," Alexei Kudrin told a news conference after a G8 finance ministers' meeting in St. Petersburg.

He said he hoped formal restrictions on Russian participation in the G8 would be lifted.

Kudrin also said the next meeting of G8 finance ministers would take place in September in Singapore, and would be chaired by one of the countries in the region.