Italy took over the rotating presidency of G8 (Group of Eight major industrialized countries) from Japan on Thursday, which will last through the year 2009.

Italy plans to step up the involvement of G5 and other important non-G8 countries during its presidency of G8, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said at the presentation of the Italian logo for its G8 term last month.

The eight G8 members will meet on the first day of talks and the G5 (China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa) as well as Egypt will be brought in on the second day, he said.

The third day will see the involvement of Australia, Indonesia and major African countries, the premier added.

Italy has pressed hard for an Egyptian role because of Egypt's status in the Middle East and Africa where it is "widely heard," Berlusconi said.

Italy's presidency of G8 will be an occasion for "a new global governance" and to create a more structural relationship between G8 countries and emerging powers, according to Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

Frattini said terrorism, nuclear disarmament and the situations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa would be on the political agenda, while economic issues to be given priority are reforms to the Bretton Woods system of monetary management, the development of renewable energy sources, the impact of climate change on the economy and food safety.

The G8, originally the G6, was set up in 1975 as a forum for the world's most industrialized nations. Its members include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

During the Italian presidency, the G8 summit will take place in July in La Maddalena, an island off the northern coast of Sardinia.

(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2009)