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French Foreign Minister arrives

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

FOR DEEPENING TIES: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: French Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner arrived here on Thursday to prepare the ground for French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit late next month.

Accompanied by officials from his Ministry, Mr. Kouchner met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi. On Friday, he will call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

India and France have a strategic partnership since 1998, spanning cooperation in a wide range of fields, including political, economic, defence and high technology areas such as space and civilian nuclear energy. The high-level interaction between the two countries has continued with a series of ministerial visits in recent times. The visit of Mr. Kouchner will further deepen the dynamic India-France relations, said a Ministry of External Affairs release.

Besides attempting to sort out the wrinkles in the relationship due to the cancellation of a mega helicopter deal in which France has an interest, the two sides will also take a hard look at the efficacy of multiple bilateral mechanisms set up at a rapid pace after the former President, Jacques Chirac’s visit in 1998.

As both India and France have common views on several global and international issues, the visit will give the leaders an opportunity to reaffirm the proximity of their views. After the Pokhran tests in 1998, France was among the few in the developed world to oppose sanctions and advocated dialogue instead.

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