SUO MOTU STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER IN LOK SABHA ON HIS VISITS
TO GERMANY, ST. PETERSBURG, EVIAN AND CHINA
Following is the
text of Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Suo Motu Statement
in Lok Sabha after his recent successful completion of visits
to Germany, Russia, France and China.
"In the
last two months, I have had the opportunity to interact with a
number of world leaders during my visits to Germany, Russia, France
and China.
I visited Germany
from May 27 to 30. I was then in St. Petersburg at the invitation
of President Putin for the Tercentenary celebrations of that city.
Thereafter, I participated in the G-8 enlarged dialogue in Evian
at the invitation of President Chirac. I paid a separate bilateral
visit to China from June 22 to 27.
The visits to Germany
and China were bilateral in nature, while those to Russia and
France were for prominent events to which only selected countries
were invited. All these visits underscored our on-going dialogue
with key countries of Europe and Asia and an increasing acknowledgement
of the growing salience of India in international affairs. They
helped to consolidate our bilateral ties with these countries
and to project our position on important issues at select international
gatherings. Such visits also enable us to understand better the
perspectives of others on issues of vital concern to the international
community.
My visit to Germany
was in response to Chancellor Schroeder’s invitation, extended
during his visit to India in October 2001. I had useful discussions
with the German leadership on expanding and intensifying bilateral
relations. We also had a detailed exchange of views on regional
and international issues. Germany sees the need for uncompromising
global action against the scourge of terrorism wherever it occurs
and against whomever it is directed.
India and Germany
are both keen to impart further momentum to trade and investment
linkages. I highlighted the investment opportunities in India
and the wide-ranging complementarities between India and Germany,
which encourage greater scientific and technological cooperation.
I also had occasion to interact with a wide cross-section of German
parliamentarians, business representatives and Indologists. In
Munich, I had useful discussions with the Minister-President of
Bavaria, Dr. Edmund Stoiber.
We value our continuing
high-level contacts with Germany as one of our most important
interlocutors in the European Union, a member of G-8 and currently
on the Security Council. In line with our agreement to have annual
summit meetings. We look forward to welcoming Chancellor Schroeder
in India next year.
The 300th
anniversary celebrations of St. Petersburg were grand and impressive.
The invitation to India for this special event was a mark of the
close strategic relationship between India and the Russian Federation.
Equally, the extraordinary level of the international participation
at these celebrations illustrated the importance of Russia and
the international stature of President Putin.
My visit to St. Petersburg
provided me the opportunity of bilateral meetings with President
Putin. President Chirac of France, President Hu Jintao of China
and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom. I also interacted
briefly with President Bush of USA.
In my meeting with
President Putin, we discussed issues of bilateral, regional and
international interest. We agreed to continue the wide-ranging
and extensive interaction between the two countries. President
Putin reiterated Russia’s commitment to further deepen defence
relations with India. I hope to pay a bilateral visit to Russia
in the near future, as part of our normal sequence of annual summits.
I thanked President
Chirac for his initiative in inviting select developing countries
for a broader dialogue with the G-8. There was common understanding
of the importance of a multipolar world, for which a restructured
UN was essential.
In my discussions
with Prime Minister Blair, we expressed satisfaction at the quality
of our bilateral relations. PM Blair demonstrated sensitivity
and understanding for our core security concerns.
In my meeting with
President Hu Jintao of China, he said the new leadership of China
placed great emphasis on developing friendship with India. We
agreed that China and India, which comprise one third of humanity,
should work together effectively to make the 21st century
the Asian century.
India was one of
14 developing countries that was invited to the G-8 Enlarged Dialogue
in Evian. The Dialogue enabled a free and unstructured interaction,
which could highlight the varied economic, developmental, environmental,
security and other concerns of developing countries.
In my remarks, I
underlined the immediate urgency for meaningful follow up on the
Millennium Development Round to create a global trading regime,
which would promote development. I emphasized the need to deliver
on existing commitments and to explore new ideas for generation
of additional financial resources for development, particularly
in the least developed countries. I suggested that though the
Kyoto Protocol has not been ratified, the encouragement of clean
energy development should be pursued, through incentives and transfer
of technologies as envisaged in the Protocol. Developing countries
should be fairly compensated for the use of their biodiversity
resources and their traditional knowledge. I drew attention to
the stark truth that unless there is immediate and tangible progress
in these areas, the political support in developing countries
for economic liberalization and responsible environmental measures
will rapidly disintegrate.
On the margins of
the G-8 Summit I had the opportunity to meet the Presidents of
Brazil and Mexico. Both agreed on the need for a strategic alliance
on WTO issues. Promoting effective cooperation in groupings like
the G-15, and strengthening the UN so as to effectively articulate
developing countries’ concerns.
The G-8 Enlarged
Dialogue could develop into a useful forum of communication at
the highest level between the developed and the developing world.
A number of the participants at Evian felt that this initiative
should be continued by future G-8 Presidencies.
I visited
China from June 22 to June 27 this year at the invitation of Premier
Wen Jiabao. My visit took place almost ten years after the last
visit by an Indian Prime Minister to China. It gave me an invaluable
opportunity to personally interact with the new Chinese leadership.
I was received with great warmth and courtesy and was given the
distinct impression that our desire for mutual goodwill and for
diversification of our bilateral relationship was fully reciprocated.
A recurrent theme in all my meetings was the commitment of both
sides to strengthen the ongoing process of building mutual trust
and understanding.
We concluded
ten agreements, a list of which is placed on the Table of the
House. For the first time in India-China relations, a Joint Declaration
was signed by the two Prime Ministers. The text of the Joint Declaration
is also placed on the Table of the House. The Declaration outlines
the principles and shared perspectives, which will guide the future
development of our bilateral relations. It also confirms the commitment
of our two countries to work more closely together internationally
to strengthen the trend towards multi-polarity, on WTO issues
and on other areas of concern to developing countries.
The Declaration
reflects the importance both countries attach to the settlement
of the India-China boundary question. Principles for an eventual
settlement of this question have been under discussion for some
time now. Premier Wen Jiabao and I agreed that these discussions
should be given a new momentum by exploring the framework of a
boundary settlement from the political perspective of the overall
bilateral relationship. We appointed Special Representatives for
this purpose. The National Security Advisor will be our Special
Representative. China has appointed its senior-most Vice Foreign
Minister as his counterpart. Premier Wen and I also agreed that
the joint work on the clarification of the Line of Actual Control
should continue smoothly and that peace and tranquillity in the
border areas should continue to be maintained.
There was a special
stress on our bilateral economic relationships. A large delegation
of senior businessmen from CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM was in China
in conjunction with my visit. I addressed two well-attended meetings
of Indian and Chinese businessmen in Beijing and Shanghai. Our
Minister of Commerce and Industry met his ministerial counterparts
in Beijing. He also had extensive interactive sessions with relevant
agencies and with Chinese businessmen. Our Minister of Communications,
IT and Disinvestment had similar useful sessions in Shanghai.
There was a clear
awareness on both sides of the potential of our economic relationship.
This was reflected in the decision to set up a joint study group
to identify potential complementarities in bilateral economic
cooperation. The JSG will recommend to both Governments concrete
measures to increase trade, promote investments and encourage
greater cooperation between our business communities. We also
decided to set up a financial dialogue and cooperation mechanism
to strengthen our coordination in this sector.
Another development
of significance is the Memorandum on border trade through Nathu
La pass on the India-China boundary. This adds a third point of
crossing for border trade between India and China. With this Memorandum,
we have also started the process by which Sikkim will cease to
be an issue in India-China relations.
On Tibet, I would
like to assure this House that there is no change in our decades
old policy. We have never doubted that the Tibet Autonomous Region
is a part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
There can, therefore, be no argument against reiterating it. We
have said nothing new about the presence of His Holiness the Dalai
Lama or of Tibetan refugees in India.
Our cultural relationship
also received a new impetus during my visit. We have agreed to
establish cultural centres in Delhi and Beijing. I inaugurated
a Centre for Indian Studies in Beijing University and announced
some contributions from India to facilitate the functioning of
this centre. Next year we have agreed to celebrate the 50th
Anniversary of Panchsheel, which is one of the cornerstones of
the India-China relationship. I valued the opportunity of visiting
the White Horse Temple in Luoyang which marks the arrival of the
first Buddhist monks from India to China and underlines the cultures
and historical dimension of our interactions. The Chinese side
has also agreed to consider my suggestion for opening of additional
routes for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
The twin objectives
of my visit – to establish close relations with the new leadership
of China, and to impart fresh momentum to our increasingly diversified
bilateral cooperation – were fulfilled. We have agreed to a wide-ranging,
mutually beneficial engagement with China, even while simultaneously
addressing our difference though amicable discussions.
I have reason to
be satisfied with the results of all these visits. Our dialogue
with Genmany has been reinforced. President Putin went out of
his way to have a bilateral meeting with me, well after midnight
on the very first day, despite his preoccupations as host of a
large multilateral event. This signalled the importance he attaches
to our bilateral relationship. President Chirac conducted the
Enlarged Dialogue in a manner that highlighted the key importance
of our views as a developing country. With China, progress has
been made in enhancing mutual trust and understanding.
All the leaders I
met naturally showed interest in the situation in South Asia.
I was happy to note that all of them expressed support and appreciation
for the hand of friendship we have extended to Pakistan and hoped
Pakistan would reciprocate. All of them spoke strongly against
the menace of terrorism. I believe my interlocutors have a proper
appreciation of our policy of promoting peace, regionally and
internationally".
