Friday, July 8 2005 16:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gleneagles (Scotland): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who found tacit support from US and Britain on the need to eliminate farm subsidies, had a meeting with French President Jacques Chirac at a time when France is dragging its feet on the issue in the WTO.

Singh, who was here yesterday (July 7, 2005) to participate in the G8 outreach meeting with the G-5 developing countries comprising, India, Brazil, China, Mexico and South Africa, had an half-an hour meeting with Chirac.

The details were not immediately known. Singh also had a meeting with G-4 countries comprising India, Japan, Brazil and Germany, which are pressing for reform of the world body and expansion of the UNSC.

Singh's meeting with Chirac was crucial as it comes at a time, when there is increasing pressure on France to eliminate export subsidies. France has considerable influence on EU, which has said developing countries could not expect much on agriculture without a trade off on industrial tariffs in the WTO negotiations.

His meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, however, was cancelled as he had rush to London in the aftermath of the terror blasts, which killed 37 people and injured 700.

Blair has since returned here to continue with the G-8 summit, which has come out with an action plan to promote clean environment and sustainable development.