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Extradition treaty with Ukraine

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

The Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma, his wife, Ludmila, with the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, during a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday. - Photo: Rajeev Bhatt.

NEW DELHI Oct. 3. India and Ukraine today signed an extradition treaty, a shipping agreement and a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. The agreements, which were signed in the presence of the visiting Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma, and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, came after cordial and constructive discussions between the two leaders.

The Ukrainian and Indian Defence Ministers, during a separate meeting, discussed the joint Ukrainian-Russian programme to manufacture the AN-70 transport aircraft. Discussion on other aspects of defence cooperation also took place, official sources said.

The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, who called on Mr. Kuchma, explained India's concerns about cross-border terrorism. Mr. Kuchma reportedly said he was sympathetic to the Indian point of view but stressed that Indian and Pakistani differences could only be solved bilaterally in the spirit of the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. On his part, Mr. Sinha told the Ukrainian leader that India had always advocated dialogue with Pakistan but talks could not begin while the gun of terrorism was pointed at India's head. India and Ukraine, who had agreed to cooperate in steel and power sectors, had a huge potential to develop trade and economic cooperation, Mr. Kuchma said at a lunch meeting organised by the CII and FICCI.

In brief remarks when the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, formally received him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mr. Kuchma said that strengthening economic ties was his top priority.

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