MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti) - The United Nations is planning to hold a summit in the spring or summer of 2009 to address the global financial crisis, Russia's envoy to the UN said on Tuesday.

The decision on "convening a summit on the problems of financial and economic crisis, and especially on development financing" was made at a conference in Doha earlier this month, Vitaly Churkin told journalists.

"The format of this meeting should be agreed by March," Churkin said. "This serious gathering can be expected to be held at UN headquarters at the end of spring or in early summer 2009."

A special working group has been set up as part of preparations for the summit.

The global economic crisis has caused record losses on global financial markets and a liquidity shortage, with Russia hard hit by falling oil prices, tumbling stock values and a weakening ruble.