Prime Minister Vajpayee’s statement
after arriving from a three-nation-tour to Russia, USA and UK
November 13, 2001
New Delhi
I return to Delhi from London tomorrow on completion of deeply satisfying
visits to Russia, USA and UK. I addressed the UNGA and met the Presidents
of Argentina, Cyprus and Iran and the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the
margins of the General Assembly.
The visit to Russia enabled a further consolidation of our bilateral
strategic partnership. My discussions with President Putin and the Russian
leadership confirmed the congruence of geo-strategic outlook between us,
and the enormous scope for further economic cooperation. The Moscow
Declaration on Terrorism and our bilateral joint statement, along with the
several agreements concluded during the visit, set out the outlines of
future cooperation. Our defence cooperation and cooperation in atomic
energy and space are proceeding smoothly and we agreed on the contours of
their future development.
My talks with President Bush centered on our perspectives on the India-US
partnership for the future. President Bush was categorical on the
commitment of his Administration to a comprehensive and all-round
intensification of our bilateral relations over a wide canvas. The lifting
of economic sanctions should facilitate high technology transfers,
cooperation in space and defence, and collaboration in the civilian
applications of atomic energy. We have agreed to discuss these aspects in
detail in the framework of a resumed and enlarged Bilateral Economic
Dialogue and in other bilateral forums. Our relations with USA have
strengthened significantly, and I believe there are excellent long-term
prospects for their expansion and diversification.
During my working visit to UK, I exchanged views with Prime Minister Tony
Blair. The talks illustrated, yet again, the convergence of our views on
all major international issues. We reviewed the entire range of bilateral
relations. This will be carried forward in greater detail during the
forthcoming official visit to India of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mrs.
Blair.
In my discussions with leadership of Russia, USA and UK and in my other
bilateral interactions, I found an identity of views on tackling and
countering international terrorism. All the leaders agreed that terrorism
should be tackled on a global and comprehensive manner, that no political,
economic or ideological justification for terrorism is acceptable; and
that the international community should summon the necessary political
will to ensure that funding and all forms of safe haven for terrorists are
cut off effectively everywhere.
Similarly, there was a convergence of views on action for the future of
Afghanistan. I stressed the need or a broad-based, representative and
neutral government, and for effective participation by the international
community in rehabilitation and reconstruction in that country. Our view
that the 6+2 process should be expanded to make it more representative and
effective, found wide agreement in Russia, USA and UK. We will be
discussing further, with these and other countries, the formation of a
representative group of countries, including India, which would engage in
the political and humanitarian arrangements in Afghanistan.
In sum, therefore, my visit served to enlarge and deepen the areas of
understanding and agreement with our friends and partners.