(Adds background in paras 2, 3)
MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's state statistics agency said Wednesday that the country's GDP grew 7.9% in the first half of 2007.
It was earlier reported that the growth rate was 7.9% year-on-year in January-March, and 7.8% in April-June, against 5% and 7% respectively in the same periods for 2006.
The government's official forecast for 2007 is 6.5%, but Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref said the forecast would be revised to 7.2-7.4% in the near future.
