Addu Atoll: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said India and the Maldives have agreed on a multi-pronged approach to deal with extremism, religious fundamentalism, piracy, smuggling and drug trafficking.
Addressing the People’s Majlis Male, Dr Singh said, “Our two countries have agreed upon a multi-pronged approach to deal with these problems. To build capacity within the Maldives, India will support the construction of a National Police Academy.”
He thanked the Speaker and Members of the People’s Majlis for giving him the honour of addressing the august House. Dr Singh has become one of the very few world leaders accorded this rare honour.
“I am humbled by this gesture of goodwill accorded to me, and to my country,” Dr Singh said.
“We will assist the Majlis by way of training, formulation of rules and regulations and any other assistance that you may desire,” he said.
The formation of India-Maldives Parliamentary Friendship Groups in the People’s Majlis and in the Indian Parliament augur well for the development of relations between our two Parliaments, he said.
“Bilaterally, we have entered into arrangements on Combating Terrorism, Drug Trafficking, Disaster Management and Coastal Security and Transfer of Sentenced Persons. These will strengthen the framework of cooperation on law enforcement and consular matters,” Dr Singh said.
Dr Singh said the recent establishment of an Indian Cultural Centre in Malé will further promote people-to-people contacts and facilitate the visits of Maldivian artists and scholars to India.
Dr Singh said he has discussed these and other bilateral initiatives with President Nasheed.
“We have succeeded in defining new frontiers for our cooperation: cooperation that will have a tangible effect on the lives of common citizens,” he said.
“We will be happy to facilitate more intensive exchanges between the Maldives National University and universities in India,” Dr Singh added.
“Mr Nasheed and I have signed a historic Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development. This is a blueprint for cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, food security, fisheries development, tourism, transportation, information technology, new and renewable energy, communications and enhancing connectivity by air and sea,” the Prime Minister said.
Dr Singh said,” I informed the President of our decision to extend a Standby Credit Facility of 100 million US dollars which will help the Maldives to meet its short term budgetary needs and enable it to import essential commodities.”
“We have extended a Line of Credit of 40 million US dollars for the construction of new houses.
We look forward to the first houses coming up in the not too distant future,” he added.
Dr Singh said,” We are ready to work with the Government of Maldives to train youth in identified areas of skills development.”
He congratulated the people of Maldives on their Republic Day yesterday, and conveyed his belated greetings to each one of them on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
Dr Singh said he wishes to state in no uncertain terms that India will stand as one with the Maldives in combating global warming. Maldives’ views must be heard with respect in global councils. (UNI)