PRIME MINISTER'S INTERVIEW TO MEMBERS OF MALDIVIAN MEDIA

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Following are the excerpts of the interview of the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee with members of Maldivian media on the eve of his visit to Maldives:

Q. How would you describe the present India-Maldives relations.

Ans. There is a close political rapport between our political leadership, an identity of views on all major international issues and excellent bilateral cooperation.

Q. India is moving forward in various areas. What do you think are the major areas where the relationship between the two countries may develop further in the future ?

Ans. India and Maldives already have developmental cooperation in the important social sectors of health and education. This cooperation can be further expanded. India is also committed to actively collaborating with Maldives in the key economic sector of tourism.

I look forward to discussing with President Gayoom avenues for our future cooperation.

Q. India is more capable than Maldives in all areas. Despite this, is there anything that India could learn from Maldives?

Ans. India has learnt a lot from its development cooperation with Maldives.

Maldives has achieved outstanding success in developing island tourism to international standards. It has lessons for many countries around the world, including India.

Q. India has been providing assistance to Maldives in various areas. What are the areas that you place particular importance on and why?

Ans. In my view, human resource development and capacity building are the most important form of assistance, because they create a national resource which is enduring and self-sustaining.

Q. Indian assistance to the Maldives is invariably evident throughout our small islands. Appreciating this I would like to enquire about any further collaboration of ties between the two countries?

Ans. India and Maldives have actively collaborated on issues of global concern such as terrorism and environment.

Maldives has been emphatic in condemning terrorism and, like India, has joined the global war against terrorism. We need to promote a cooperative global and comprehensive effort to root out this evil.

Environment is an issue which crucially affects the economic well being of both India and Maldives.

Q. Any plans to inject new aid in areas of importance such as health, transport, education and aviation in Maldives.

Ans. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and the Maldives Institute of Technical Education (now called Faculty of Engineering Technology) are two bright symbols of our joint achievements. We have provided some equipment last year for developing roads in Maldives. At present, under a recently signed MoU with the Maldives Government, we are in the process of deputing more medical and para-medical staff to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital.

Q. India is moving forward rapidly in the area of information technology. What is the scope of cooperation between the two countries in this area?

Ans. There is excellent scope for cooperation in IT. We are already examining some ideas for collaboration.

Q. Maldives is one of the safest countries in the region and in the world as well. Do you believe that it is an example to the other nations?

Ans. An assurance of safety and security for the tourist is the most persuasive advertisement for a tourist centre.

Q. Any plans to propose new ideas to promote regional cooperation and SAARC.

And. Over the years, we have generated and discussed many ideas and suggestions to enhance regional co-operation in South Asia. Collectively, we have created a vast network at different levels, involving Government Departments, the private sector, NGOs and professional groups. It is not more ideas that we require, but the political will of all its member States to implement joint decisions sincerely, and the understanding that collectively the SAARC countries can power an economic and social resurgence, which can improve the quality and standard of life of one-fifth of humanity beyond current imagination.

Q. Do you think the time is now right to introduce a regional anti-terrorism pact involving all the SAARC countries ?

Ans. The SAARC Convention on Suppression of Terrorism has been in existence since 1987. Following the developments that took place in the international stage in the last fifteen years since the Convention was signed, and specially in the last one year, there is a feeling that the SAARC Convention needs to be up-dated. India has also proposed that a ministerial level meeting should be convened to discuss the issue of terrorism.

Q. The next SAARC Summit is to be held in Pakistan next year. Will you be going to Islamabad ?

Ans. The dates for the next summit are being considered by us and we shall convey our views in due course.

Q. What is your vision for South Asia?

Ans. My vision of South Asia is of harmony and prosperity, with all its States at peace with each other, within secure borders, and with problems of the past are exchanged for the promises of the future.

South Asia is a development miracle waiting to happen. We must create an environment in which its full potential can be realized in a climate of mutual understanding and co-operation.

Q. Here is the Maldives, Indian art, literature, music, songs and films are well appreciated. Having said this, we know that you are also a poet whose work is well known in India. Therefore, in order to give publicity to your poetry, what about arranging an exhibition of your poetry in the Maldives?

Ans. I am happy to see that the people of Maldives appreciate Indian art and literature and that our music and films are also very popular. As for my poetry, I write poetry as a relaxation and a form of internal expression; some of it has been translated into other languages, including English.