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| Japan questions Sarkozy's bid to expand G-8 |
| Press Trust of India / Tokyo Aug 27, 2009, 15:10 IST |
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Japan today questioned French President Nicolas Sarkozy's "unilateral" plan to expand the elite G-8 to a G-14 grouping at the 2011 Paris summit to include major emerging economies like India and China.
"If it is going to be expanded to the G-14, it is necessary to make clear on what basis we would (cut the number off at 14)," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference.
"It's something we will decide by exchanging opinions about whether 14 is the proper (size) or not," he said.
The Japanese government has been flexible so far in attending various meetings, including the G-20, depending on the circumstances of the time, "by viewing the G-8 as the basis," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.
Kawamura questioned France's initiative to enlarge the elite forum, which groups eight major industrialised nations, saying, "I wonder if it's something that France should decide unilaterally as a host nation."
Some G-8 members, notably Japan, have resisted formally abandoning the G-8 structure, arguing that adding more members could find it harder to reach a consensus on major economic policy issues.
Sarkozy yesterday unveiled the plan, which would add several emerging economies like China and India to the G-8, which currently comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.
The French President did not name the countries that he thought should be added to the G-8.
"I note with pleasure that the transformation of the G-8 into the G-14 has taken a decisive step forward," Sarkozy told a meeting of French ambassadors in Paris, noting that France has supported Brazil's call for an end to the G-8.
"The Canadian presidency in 2010 will conduct the bulk of its summit as the G-14 and we intend to totally finish the transformation into the G-14 under the French presidency in 2011," Sarkozy said.
At this year's G-8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, the G-8 was joined by Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Mexico and Egypt.
The G-8 now includes the biggest emerging economies in some of its deliberations, but retains its own identity as the most influential world economic policy forum, despite mounting calls to broaden its base.
Primarily intended to deal with financial and economic issues, the Group of 20 brings together the G-8 countries with Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and the European Union.
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