France's Sarkozy says "not reasonable" to meet as G8

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday said it was "not reasonable" to gather the Group of Eight (G8) leaders at an annual summit without the participation of strong emerging countries such as China and India.

"I am among those who think that it is not reasonable to gather the G8," Sarkozy said at a conference held by the ruling UMP party in Paris two days before the G8 annual summit starts in Japan.

"I think it is not reasonable to continue to meet as eight to solve the big questions of the world, forgetting China -- one billion 300 million people -- and not inviting India -- one billion people," Sarkozy said.

(Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt)