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| Friday, 1 4 November 2003 |
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Russia, India reaffirm strength of strategic partnership Moscow Thursday (AFP) Russia and India reaffirmed the strength of their strategic partnership at Kremlin talks Wednesday between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The summit "confirmed the invariably trusting character" of ties between the traditional Soviet-era allies which would "continue to develop dynamically," Putin said, as quoted by Russian media. Putin noted that Vajpayee's visit, his second to Russia and his third bilateral meeting with the Russian leader this year, was "an important staging post in the strengthening of the strategic partnership" of the two countries. The two leaders signed a joint statement on the fight against global terrorism and other issues and attended the signing of several agreements on trade and cooperation. Russia and India, favour a "consistent and uncompromising approach to terrorism and the eradication of double standards," they said in a statement. As "strategic partners," the statement said, Russia and India favour the establishment of "a comprehensive system of collective security based on the supremacy of law," with the United Nations playing a key role in resolving major international problems. They also called for the quick reestablishment of sovereignty in Iraq under UN leadership. The statement urged the adoption, "under the aegis of the United Nations, of a concrete plan with a precise calendar for the rapid restoration of the sovereignty of Iraq, the stabilisation of the political and humanitarian situation in the country and its economic growth." In separate comments, Vajpayee voiced concern over the Taliban "threat" in Afghanistan where, he said, "Events are causing anxiety; there exists a threat of the Taliban's return in one form or another". Noting "many uncertainties" in the reconstruction of the Asian country since the fundamentalist leaders were ousted on the heels of a US-led war in late 2001, Vajpayee called on the international community to renew its commitment to Afghanistan. Vajpayee is accompanied by several ministers and nearly 100 businessmen on the three-day visit, and bilateral agreements were signed at the Kremlin summit in several areas including space, science, trade and military-technical cooperation. Russia remains India's largest supplier of military hardware more than a decade after the end of the Cold War, and accounts for more than 70 percent of army, air force and navy equipment. Moscow and New Delhi are keen to raise the level of two-way trade which, at 1.87 billion dollars (1.63 billion euros) in the first seven months of 2003, is considered unnaturally low for such long-standing allies. Vajpayee, who is due Thursday to address a group of Russian business leaders, said the two leaders discussed "new ways of expanding reciprocal trade and investments." They also discussed Indian participation, via its ONGK Bidesh company, in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas development project in the Russian Far East, and Russian aid in the construction of the Kudankulam nuclear power station in southern India. Among the items on the economic agenda Russian officials cited the use of India's "rupee debt" for investment in joint ventures and the introduction of hard currency in settlements between the two countries, expected to come into effect next year. Vajpayee said he had invited Putin to visit India next year. Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha, addressing a group of Indian and Russian businessmen, said economic ties between the two countries "on the verge of" a breakthrough. Later on Thursday Vajpayee heads for Dushanbe in the central Asia republic of Tajikistan, on the second leg of a week-long three-nation tour that will also take in Syria. |
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