The Hindu : U.N.'s position must be restored: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 04, 2003

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U.N.'s position must be restored: PM

By Amit Baruah

Photo: V. V. Krishnan

The Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Medgyessy, and his wife, Katalin Medgyessy, during a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

NEW DELHI NOV. 3. The Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said tonight that "some recent events" had put the United Nations in a "very difficult" situation. "Even the Security Council is not functioning as it should have been," he said.

Speaking at a joint interaction with the press after talks with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Medgyessy, Mr. Vajpayee remarked at the Hyderabad House: "It is necessary that the position of the U.N. is restored."

In response to a question, he said the U.N. was the only organisation that could look after the interests of all countries.

Mr. Vajpayee and Mr. Medgyessy witnessed the signing of as many as six agreements between India and Hungary — in defence cooperation, information technology, bilateral promotion and protection of investment, double taxation avoidance, education and cultural exchange. The two countries also agreed to extend to each other a credit line of $10 million.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Vajpayee said:

"Our discussions have been useful and productive. We covered all aspects of our bilateral relations, paying special attention to intensifying and diversifying our economic cooperation.

"Our defence partnership can be strengthened to support our defence modernisation programme. The agreement we have signed is testimony to this fact.

"Hungary will soon take a historic step towards integrating into Europe when it joins the European Union six months from now. As I mentioned to the Prime Minister, we have excellent institutional relations with the European Union, including a summit-level dialogue. Hungary's membership in the E.U. will add a new element to our bilateral cooperation within the framework of the European Union," Mr. Vajpayee added.

Mr. Medgyessy stressed the need for regular meetings between Indian and Hungarian leaders. "We should not wait another 29 years for the next meeting between our Prime Ministers," he said, adding that he had invited Mr. Vajpayee to visit Hungary next year. "I hope he (Mr. Vajpayee) can make it next year."

Referring to Hungary's formal entry into the E.U., the Prime Minister said India's friends in the Union would increase. Mr. Medgyessy said that India and Hungary were both interested in reforming the U.N. and fighting terrorism.

India, he said, was for Hungary a long-term and reliable partner — a factor to be taken into account in global politics. The two countries could cooperate in the agriculture, energy and defence sectors.

Hungary, he added, was ready to help expand the Neyveli power plant in Tamil Nadu as well as in the construction of new power units.

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