Expand G-8 to include India: Sarkozy
26, January 2008
NEW DELHI: French president Nicolas Sarkozy, chief guest at the Republic Day parade, has already seen his visit to India given all the colour he could possibly want, and perhaps a lot that he could do without.
But on Friday, Sarkozy and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh put bilateral strategic cooperation into higher gear by preparing the ground for more intensive ties in trade and investment, technology transfer, space and joint research and development, particularly in the defence sector. This successfully took the headlines away from Sarkozy's private life and girlfriend, which was hogging the limelight until now.
Echoing British prime minister Gordon Brown, on a whistle-stop visit only a couple of days ago, Sarkozy backed India's global ambitions to the hilt. "India must be a permanent member of the Security Council. How can we organize a meeting of G8 for two-and half days and invite the G5 for lunch on Day 3 ? France will not accept this injustice. It's not only a matter of right for this continent. G8 in Tokyo can immediately be turned into G13."
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