For Japan PM G8 visit is on;Japanese official

For Japan, which is hosting the Group of Eight summit in Tokyo from July 7-9, the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the summit is on notwithstanding the political stalemate on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"Indian Prime Minister is scheduled to reach Japan on July 7 and his bilateral (meeting) with the Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is to be held on July 9 evening," Shigeyuki Shimamoro, Counsellor in Japanese Embassy said here today.

During an informal interface with mediapersons, who are to accompany Dr Singh to the 34th summit of world's industrialised nations, Mr Shimamori said Indian Prime Minister's bilaterals with other world leaders, including U S President George W Bush, were also being scheduled on July 8.

For Mr Bush it is his last G8 summit, while it will be the first for Mr Fakuda, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The remaining four permament members of the rich nations' club are Canada, France, Germany and Italy.

India is among five participant members. The remaining four are China, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico.

Mr Shimamori said development of African continent, climate change and sustainable energy dialogue are among the issues that would be taken up at the summit. Africa, which has been on the G8 agenda since 2000 when Japan last chaired the G8, will again come under focus at the summit, he added.

Japan is the Chair of the G8 for the fifth time. Earlier, Japan had assumed the G8 presidency for four times, in 1979, 1986, 1993, and 2000.

Political issues, including nuclear Non-Proliferation and terrorism, are also slated for discussion at the summit.

Mr Shimamori replied in the affirmative when asked if Japan is closely watching the debate over Indo-US civil nuclear deal. But he added India requires nuclear energy to achieve objectives of its growth and development agenda.

He said the G8 leaders will also discuss the state of world economy, including issues of sustained growth, investment, trade, protection of intellectual property rights, emerging economies and natural resources. The 33rd G8 summit was held in Heiligendamm, Germany.

-- (UNI) -- 02DI24.xml

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