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"India, Greece can be partners in development"

Vinay Kumar

Shipping is also an area of interest, says President Kalam

ATHENS: "There is always more to explore, Five senses to explore, One country to adore,'' proclaim hoardings as one drives into the city from the Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.

It is no wonder that Greece attracts nearly 14 million tourists from all over the world annually, more than its population, and has made tourism one of the key sectors of the economy of the country — gateway to central and south-eastern Europe and the Balkans.

"I was overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality of the people in Greece. It is a tribute to their culture that the country receives so many tourists every year, it also has very good infrastructure. One feels like coming back to Greece," President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam told accompanying newspersons at the end of his three-day visit to the country.

Tourism potential

When, in the words of Mr. Kalam, there is "love for India'' and interest in its culture, why has tourism between the two countries not picked up?

"The most obvious reason is the absence of air connectivity between the two countries," he pointed out, indicating that it could be taken up with the Government. He said they could be partners in infrastructure development and shipping could be an area of keen interest.

To a question whether India stood to gain substantially from cooperation with Greece, Mr. Kalam said signing of memoranda of understanding was not enough. "We should form task teams, put mission chiefs in charge of tasks. We have to appoint empowered task forces to achieve our desired goals."

Answering another query, he said that in today's world one could not get away from competition, and suggested that India focus on promotion of agro-food processing, which would benefit small farmers also. By 2020 India would have to boost its agricultural production to 400 million tonnes. The President said he had been promoting a "confluence of civilisation," clean environment for the six billion people on Earth, space research as commercial satellite launches were increasingly becoming competitive, strict non-weaponisation of space, value-based education, promotion of clean energy sources such as nuclear and solar energy and a "World Knowledge Platform."

Mr. Kalam, whose presidential term ends in July, said: ``Life is a continuous process of learning. I believe in India emerging as an economically strong and happy nation."

It caught the imagination of the people not only in India but also in other countries he visited. He has visited 16 countries and made nearly 160 visits within India since 2002, when he assumed office.

The President strongly favours pursuit of developmental politics, to which politicians should devote 70 per cent of their effort, and the rest for "political politics."

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"India, Greece can be partners in development"

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