'India not to attend G8-G5 unless it have a say'

New Delhi, June 10: Taking strong exception to the issue of the G8 communique a day ahead of its summit with the G5, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has virtually warned the grouping of eight industrialised nations that India and its fellow members of G5 would attend such meetings in future only if they were held before the G8 meeting.

''We were not active participants in the G 8 processes (held at Heiligendamm, Germany, from June 6-8). In fact G 8 communique was issued even before our meeting and we did make the point that in future, if similar meetings have to take place, then we should get a chance to discuss issues of our concern before the G 8 meeting so that our point of view can be reflected in the thought processes of the G,'' Dr Singh told reporters while returning from Germany yesterday.

Further, ''I said we have come here not as petitioners but as partners in an equitable, just and fair management of the global comity of nations which we accept as the reality in the gloablized world.'' Again, on Friday, before the G8-G5 meeting, I made the same point to (Gernan) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel and she recognized there was merit in what we said.

''I hope that next year's meeting, if we are invited, will be in a form in which we have a chance to interact with the G8 nations before they interact amongst themselves,'' he said, sounding very seriously.

It is not clear whether Dr Singh is upset with the G8 declaration talking about India's nuclear programme and hence the stern warning.

The G8 members are the United States, Britain, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. The G5, which are being invited to a G8-G5 summit for the last three years on the last day of the summit, consists of Inida, Brazil, China, South Africa and Mexico.

UNI

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