Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposes an expansion of the Group of Eight (G8) to embrace nations such as India and China, her spokesman said Wednesday in Berlin.

"She doesn't see an institutional expansion into a G9, a G12, a G15 and so on as the philosopher's stone," said deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg.

But she was "open" to expanding the group at certain times on certain topics so that all the relevant nations or regional organizations were part of the discussion.

The G8 comprises seven big western industrialized nations and Russia.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who is set to run next year for chancellor against Christian Democrat Merkel, has called for the annual G8 summits to embrace a larger group of nations.

Steinmeier's and Merkel's difference was reflected by their spokesmen at a government news conference.

Steinmeier's spokesman Jens Ploetner that such an expansion was seen as a "future mission," since global problems could no longer be settled by the G7 or G8 alone.

Merkel last year initiated regular talks between the G8 and emerging economies comprising Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa. (dpa)