Statement made by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee before departing to the United States

September 07, 2000

I leave today for my visit to the UN Millennium Summit in New York and a bilateral visit to Washington DC. As I prepare to leave my country, I wish to share my objectives and expectations from my visit.

2. The Millennium Summit has been called in order to discuss the future of the world community in the coming century and the role of the UN. I shall be addressing the Summit on 8 September. The hopes of the people of India and their vision for a world order which accommodates those aspirations will be the focus of my message to the Summit. I shall also be addressing the issue of UN reform in the 21st century. I shall also sign the UN Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.

3. I shall be in Washington from 14 September, where I shall address a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress. As is well known, the US Congress has extended valuable support to the process of strengthening Indo-US relations and I shall use the opportunity to present my views in the future of Indo-US ties while thanking the US Congress for its forthcoming role in promoting Indo-US ties.

4. My official meetings with President Clinton are scheduled for 15 September where we will discuss the substance of our bilateral ties as well as take up regional and global issues. The agenda is well known and I am hopeful that we will be able to take forward and consolidate our mutual desire for cooperation in all areas, particularly economic cooperation, in the area of science & technology, information technology as well as in other areas.