REMARKS BY PM TO THE MEDIA AT THE
JOINT PRESS INTERACTION
AT DUSHANBE
Following is the
text of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s remarks
at the joint press interaction along with the President of Tajikistan
at Dushanbe, Tajikistan today
"I thank the
President for his warm words. I also thank the President and his
Government for the warm reception and the gracious hospitality
extended to our delegation.
We have just
completed a wide-ranging discussion on our bilateral relations
and the regional situation in a free and cordial atmosphere, as
befitting a meeting between friends.
Ours is an ancient
relationship, rooted in our historical traditions, common cultural
inheritance and in geography. Our relationship in the present
day is built on a shared commitment to democracy, secularism and
the rule of law. We have common concerns in our region.
In the past few
years, we have worked to raise our relationship to a new level.
During President Rakhmonov’s visit to India two years ago, we
signed a Joint Declaration on the principles of our mutual relations.
The Joint Declaration we have signed today sets out the goals
of our partnership in the coming years.
Our Governments
are making efforts to promote people-to-people ties. We are happy
that Tajikistan has opened its Embassy in Delhi last month. We
have also recently established an Indian cultural center here.
Air services between Delhi and Dushanbe have begun earlier this
year. We have now offered Tajik Airlines the additional freedom
to link Dushanbe and Kabul with Delhi, if the Afghanistan government
agrees.
President Rakhmonov
and I have agreed that the rapid development of our political
relations must be matched by an equally vibrant economic partnership.
Trade can be raised
to much higher levels. The "Made in India" exhibition,
which the President and I will be visiting, should increase awareness
of the possibilities.
India will be offering
all the products at the exhibition to the Government of Tajikistan.
We would like to see a similar promotion of Tajik goods in India.
India will extend assistance to the Tajik Chambers of Commerce
to organize an exhibition of products from Tajikistan in India
next year.
We have offered our
Tajik friends an economic cooperation package worth about forty
million dollars.
This includes waiving
repayment of an outstanding Credit Line of five million dollars
along with accumulated interest. It also includes a fresh grant
of five million dollars, and a Credit Line of twenty five million
dollars. Both the grant and the credit line can be used to implement
mutually-agreed industrial and infrastructural projects.
We have also offered
to extend assistance to the Military Training College in Dushanbe,
for its infrastructure requirements.
We are cooperating
well in the field of defence training. We have agreed to institutionalize
contact between our armed forces in specialized areas.
My visit to Tajikistan
is the first by an Indian Prime Minister since we established
diplomatic relations. To continue developing our relations at
this pace, we have agreed to maintain the frequency of interaction
at all levels.
I have invited President
Rakhmonov to India. We look forward to receiving him in New Delhi."
