The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) should be open to emerging countries like China and Russia and could replace the groups G8 and G20 as the principal forum for economic dialogue between nations, said OECD Secretary-general Donald Johnston.

In an interview with French newspaper La Tribune in its Wednesday edition, the outgoing secretary general said the main challenge for his successor would be the organization's enlargement on which there was no progress since his arrival for lack of consensus between members.

"For me, we need big actors such as China, India, Brazil and Russia to be at the table of the OECD in order to maintain and reinforce the importance of this organization for its members as well as for the international community," said Johnston who will step down in May 2006.

He also said his successor might entertain that the OECD replaces the Group of world's eight richest nations (G8) and the Group of 20 biggest emerging nations (G20) to become the real center of global economic management.

There are two candidates to succeed Johnston: former Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka and former Mexican Finance and Foreign Minister Angel Gurria.

The Paris-based OECD now groups 30 industrialized nations.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2005)