Putin backs India’s membership of G-8

‘‘It would be difficult to solve economic, financial and energy issues effectively without the fast-growing Chinese and Indian economies,’’ Putin said, adding, ‘‘And, of course, Brazil is the leader in economic development and holds the greatest promise on the American continent.’’

The leaders of Russia, Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the US, France and Japan at their meeting on Sunday discussed international energy security, the fight against infectious diseases and education. They were also scheduled to address traditional issues, including counter-terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking, economic and financial issues. An important agenda would be talks about regional conflicts, including the recent escalation of the Middle East conflict and the Iranian and North Korean nuclear problems.

In a joint statement after their discussions, the G-8 leaders pledged to ensure reliable access to nuclear fuel, saying they intended to implement additional measures to ensure reliable access to low-enriched uranium for use in nuclear power plants in line with non-proliferation obligations.

‘‘We reaffirm the objective set out in the 2004 G-8 Action Plan on Non-Proliferation to allow reliable access of all countries to nuclear energy on a competitive basis, consistent with non-proliferation commitment and standards,’’ the statement on global energy security said.