Switzerland, Austria tour highly successful, says President
From CK Nayak
On Board Air India One: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Friday completed her maiden two-nation weeklong state visit after holding bilateral talks, speaking at their parliaments, visiting several institutes of repute, signing agreements besides unveiling the statue Rabindranath Tagore and paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi in both Switzerland and Austria – two leading and developed nations of Europe.
“My visit was highly successful and fruitful in both the countries,” the President said to the accompanying media during her return flight. She said that India and the two European nations would take follow up steps.
The President met her Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey and President of Austria Heinz Fischer and other top leaders. Many leaders also called on her during the state visit. The delegation-level talks with both countries lasted more than the fixed time indicating the importance both countries give to India.
The talks reflected mutual understanding and emphasised the importance accorded by both sides to the development and further consolidation of bilateral relations. There were official banquets in both the counties in honour of the visiting President.
Patil noted that her visit to Switzerland was a continuation of the momentum which had been generated during President Calmy-Rey’s visit to India. Similarly, she described the Austrian President’s last visit to India as a milestone. While APJ Abdul Kalam was the last President to visit Switzerland, KR Narayanan visited Austria 12 years ago.
She noted that both the peace loving countries are renowned for their panoramic beauty as also for their exceptional hospitality. While the Swiss President waited at the tarmac till the Air India One flight took off, Austria (Contd on P-10)
Patil wraps up…
(Contd from P-1) sent two air force fighter jets to escort the VVIP flight the moment it entered Austria’s skyline. She also created ripples when she began and ended her ceremonial speech in both countries in local language.
In the discussions the two sides underlined the strength of bilateral relations and the underlying values which governed the bilateral relations including democratic values, respect for the rule of law, human rights, pluralism and free enterprise. Switzerland and Austria are basically peace loving countries and Swiss town Geneva is home to many offices of the United Nations.
In terms of commercial relations, the two sides noted that trade had grown significantly, but added that there was a renewed need to consider the untapped potential which existed to take the cooperation forward. But the President noted that this was heavily weighted in favour of Switzerland and Austria and called for steps to be taken towards redressing and improving the balance.
Patil was accompanied by a 45-member business delegation drawn from the FICCI, CII and the ASSOCHAM. Respective Presidents also addressed the business meetings.
During the visit the President visited CERN, the leading nuclear research centre of Europe where India is going to be an associate member, on the first day of her stay in Geneva. She posed probing questions to the Director-General Dr. Rolf Heuer and he had to travel with her in the same car to answer all her queries. She also made it clear that India would use nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes.
The President inaugurated the Tagore Chair on Indian Studies at the University of Lausanne, and unveiled a bust of Tagore, incidentally during the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev.
In various discussions and public speeches the President referred to the dangers of international terrorism. There was a discussion on the security situation in the sub-continent including the problems in Pakistan, she said.
In overall terms the President was extremely satisfied with her two-nation visit. She noted that the visit has maintained the momentum of high-level cooperation and interaction, and that it would provide an impetus for further development and consolidation of bilateral cooperation.