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G-8 to condemn, not convict, India

Leaders of the G-8 meeting in Birmingham will strongly condemn India's nuclear tests but are not planning any joint sanctions, a British spokesman said on Friday.

The G-8 will want to make clear its anger and dismay on what India has done, British Prime Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman, Alistair Campbell, said adding: "There will certainly be strong condemnation."

Campbell said, however, that the G-8 did not plan any package of sanctions aimed at India.

"If you think the G-8 is going to put together sanctions along the lines of the American sanctions, the answer is 'no'," he said.

Differences among G-8 nations -- seven wealthy industrial states and Russia -- over how to respond to India's tests were visible as leaders gathered in Britain's second largest city for the three-day summit which began on Friday.

The US and Japan have announced sanctions aimed at India but France -- which faced world outrage over its own nuclear tests in 1995 and 1996 -- said it opposed sanctions.

Britain has said it would not impose sanctions on India while cautious Germany said any sanctions by Bonn would require further study. Russia, which has long had close ties with India, says it opposes sanctions against any country for any reason.

UNI

EXTERNAL LINK:
Defiant India May Ignore Economic Sanctions

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