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LONDON, Tuesday (AFP) British Prime Minister Tony Blair backed India's quest for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council as well as having it join talks with G-8 countries on climate change and African development.

Blair gave his support while hosting talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, who was heading to New York for the United Nations General Assembly that opens Tuesday to discuss security council reform.

"India is a country of 1.2 billion people. For India not to be represented on the Security Council is, I think, something that is not in tune with the modern times in which we live," Blair said at a news conference with Singh. After emerging from about 45 minutes of talks with Blair, Singh said he was glad with Blair's reaffirmation of Britain's "resolve to help India gain permanent membership of the Security Council."

Singh, whose left-leaning government took office in May, was on his way to New York where he will address the UN General Assembly and lobby for a permanent seat for India. Brazil, Germany and Japan are also pressing to join the current five veto-wielding members of the Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.

Press reports have said the four candidates are supporting one another's bids.

Singh, describing terrorism as a threat to "civilized society" worldwide, added that India wanted to "be part of that coalition to fight against terrorism." Both sides released a joint declaration in which they pledged cooperation "to ensure that global norms against terrorism are upheld by all countries."

"We will share our experience and augment our cooperation, including operational co-operation between police, law enforcement agencies and others in our criminal justice system," the statement said.

In foreign and defense policy, they pledged to expand joint military training and exercises and "explore the co-production of defence equipment" and work toward the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation "in civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programmes and high technology trade" in line with international obligations.

When Britain assumes the chairmanship of the G-8 group of leading industrial countries next year, Blair added that he hoped "we can involve India and indeed China too in dialogue on important issues." He added there was no point "on us having a dialogue on an issue like climate change, which is going to have an impact over the next few decades, without involving the Indian economy and the Chinese economy in that debate."

In his opening remarks, Blair said he had "indicated to the prime minister (Singh) that our priorities (for the G-8) would be around the question of Africa and climate change.

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