Key secures meeting with PM of India

New Zealand has secured one of its key objectives for the Commonwealth summit - a meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh.

It is also expected to muster enough opposition to beat Fiji's bid to attend the Commonwealth Games next year in Delhi, despite being suspended from the Commonwealth.

Prime Minister John Key is to meet Dr Singh on Monday morning.

Free trade agreement talks, due to get under way next year, will be discussed, as will climate change.

India is one of the most important nations in climate change diplomacy as a huge developing country with rapid growth - though it has not yet revealed what its hand will be at Copenhagen.

Mr Key is expected to talk further with Dr Singh about the global research alliance into agricultural emissions.

Climate change will be the focus of leaders today as French president Nicholas Sarkozy and Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen hold a special session on the Copenhagen talks in nine days.

Mr Key said he did not see the climate change issue as "hijacking" Chogm but rather giving it relevance.

"There is always a risk with Chogm that it is seen as a colonial relic ... so if it adds relevance to the debate it is not a bad thing ... It's all part of the build-up of momentum."

China's president Hu has now said he would join US president Obama near the start of the talks.

In later sessions today and tomorrow more of the Commonwealth's business will get attention including a bid by Fiji to attend the Delhi games, despite having been suspended in September.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is tipped to lead a discussion about the possibility of Zimbabwe being readmitted to the Commonwealth.

Mr Key said last night that Malaysia was promoting Fiji's participation in the Games but it was opposed by New Zealand.

"It would send completely the wrong message to the administration."

Nigeria was banned from participating in councils of the Commonwealth and games when it was suspended in 1995.

Fiji are world class competitors in rugby sevens, which is a Commonwealth sport.

It won silver at the 1998 Games in Malaysia and at the 2002 Manchester Games and a bronze medal at Melbourne in 2006.