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India to forge strategic partnership with EU
EFL Cheesecake at linkIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left here Sunday for a three-day visit to The Hague to attend the fifth India-European Union Summit aimed at promoting their growing ties to a strategic level. Minister of Foreign Affairs K. Natwar Singh, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, National Security Adviser J.N. Dixitand other senior officials are part of the Prime Minister's entourage. During the annual summit which opens on Monday, the two sides will endorse a document on "strategic partnership" that India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said "marks the culmination of a journey of cooperation which began many years ago." The Prime Minister welcomed on Sunday the strategic partnership agreement that India will sign with the European Union (EU) at the summit, saying the move was a recognition of India's growing stature and influence. Â "We warmly welcome this development," he said in a statement before departure for the Dutch city. According to Indian Foreign Ministry officials, strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism will be a "priority area" underthe India-European Union Strategic Partnership that will be signedby the Indian Prime Minister and EU leaders at the end of the summit. Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-11-08 |
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