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The following is the text of the Statement made by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, prior to his departure for a visit to France and the United States, here today:
“At the invitation of President Jacques Chirac, I will be paying an official visit to France. During my meetings with President Chirac, I will convey the commitment of our Government to further strengthen the privileged relations of Strategic Partnership that exist between India and France. It is our intention to further expand cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, defence, space, civilian nuclear energy, advanced science & technology, as well as cultural and civilizational ties. While in Paris, I will be meeting CEOs of major French Companies to convey to them the expanding opportunities for trade and investment in India. I will also be meeting academics from French institutions, which have a long tradition of scholarly work on India.
I will be visiting New York to participate in the high-level segment of events being organized by the United Nations to mark the 60th Anniversary of its founding. Aspects relating to UN Reform will be on the agenda, including expansion of the UN Security Council, regarding which India will continue to present its case. This meeting will also review the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals that were 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.
I also look forward to a number of bilateral meetings with world leaders present in New York. I will be meeting with President Bush, President Putin, President Hu Jintao, President Musharraf and others during my stay. Malaysia will be hosting a meeting of prominent NAM countries to which India has been invited. A Summit meeting of the India-Brazil-South Africa Forum (IBSA) has also been scheduled.
My visit to New York gives me an opportunity to meet the CEOs of important US companies interested in India. I also look forward to the opportunity to interact with the vital Indian American Community”.
YSR/HK/KKI
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