20 February 2005	Sunday	10 Muharram 1426

WASHINGTON, Feb 19: Influential US senators Joe Lieberman and John McCain called on Friday for Russia's suspension from the Group of Eight industrialized powers accusing it of abusing democracy.

The two former presidential candidates introduced a Senate resolution urging President George Bush to take action to suspend Russia's G8 membership. The action came ahead of a summit next Thursday between Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bratislava.

"In 2003 I warned of a 'creeping coup' in Russia against the forces of democracy and market capitalism in Russia," said McCain, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, which he lost to Bush. -AFP