The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
made the following statement prior to his departure for Cambodia
and Laos, here today:
"I leave today on a visit to Cambodia
for the first India-ASEAN Summit. I will thereafter pay an official
bilateral visit to Laos.
India and the countries of ASEAN have a long
history of cultural, social and economic interaction. With the
recent expansion of ASEAN we have an even closer geographical
proximity. The upgradation of our dialogue with ASEAN to the Summit
level is a recognition of the political, economic and security
inter-linkages which we have established, particularly over the
last decade. I hope our Summit meeting will strengthen these connections
and identify new directions for further development of our relations.
I will take the opportunity in Phnom Penh
to have discussions with the Prime Minister of Cambodia as a follow-up
of my bilateral visit to that country earlier this year.
In Laos I hope to renew the traditional friendship
which has existed between our two countries, ever since our independence.
This will be the first Prime Ministerial visit to Laos since that
of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru nearly half a century ago.
We look forward to strengthening our co-operation with Laos both
bilaterally and within ASEAN. Laos will be the country co-ordinator
for India within ASEAN next year and will take over as Chairman
of ASEAN in 2004.
On this auspicious day of Deepawali, I wish
all my countrymen every happiness and cheer."
