Date:12/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/12/stories/2005091212560100.htm

Front Page

India for stepping up ties with France: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

Prime Minister en route to New York to participate in U.N. meet

Will hold talks with Chirac, De Villepin
To address the U.N. General Assembly on September 14
Bilateral meetings with world leaders scheduled

Will meet CEOs of U.S. companies "interested in India"

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Sunday that India was committed to further strengthening the "privileged relations of strategic partnership" with France.

In a statement here before leaving for Paris en route to New York, Dr. Singh said: "It is our intention to further expand cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, defence, space, civilian nuclear energy, advanced science and technology as well as cultural and civilisational ties."

Dr. Singh will have wide-ranging discussions with French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique Villepin, and other leaders on Monday. During his stay in Paris, he will also have meetings with the chief executive officers of some major French companies to apprise them of the emerging opportunities for trade and investment in India. "I will also be meeting academics from French institutions which have a long tradition of scholarships on India," Dr. Singh said.

During his visit to New York on the second leg of his tour, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in the high-level segment of events being organised by the United Nations to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding day. Various aspects of U.N. reform, including the expansion the Security Council, will be on the agenda and "India will continue to present its case," Dr. Singh said. On September 14, he will address the General Assembly, which is to review the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) adopted a decade ago.

"We view international cooperation and assistance as an essential element in enabling developing countries to meet the objectives spelt out in the Millennium Development Goals," Dr Singh said in his statement.

Dr. Singh said he looked forward to a number of bilateral meetings with a host of world leaders. "I will be meeting with [U.S.] President Bush, [Russian] President Putin, [Chinese] President Hu Jiantao, [Pakistan] President Musharraf and others during my stay," he said.

NAM meeting

Alongside, Dr. Singh will attend a meeting of prominent NAM countries called by Malaysia, to which India has been invited, as also a scheduled summit meeting of the India-Brazil-South Africa Forum.

"I also look forward to the opportunities to interact with the vital Indian-American community," Dr Singh said.He will also utilise his visit to meet the CEOs of some "important American companies interested in India."

Among others, the Prime Minister was seen off by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, his Cabinet colleagues Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh, Raghuvansh Prasad and H.R. Bharadwaj, Lt. Governor of Delhi B.L. Joshi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and top officials.