Press Briefings
Joint Press Interaction of External Affairs Minister of India and Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
03/03/2009
1200 hours, 3rd March, 2009,
Hyderabad House, New Delhi
Official Spokesperson (Shri Vishnu Prakash): Good afternoon and welcome to this press interaction. First of all, may I request everybody to kindly put their phones on the silent mode. Thank you. The Ministers have kindly agreed to take a few questions. When your name is called please introduce yourself and the organization and indicate whom the question is addressed to.
Question (Mr Ramesh Khan, United News of India): I have a question for the Bulgarian Minister. Sir, the security situation in the region has deteriorated, worsened, particularly during the past six months. In the context of whatever has happened in Pakistan this morning, what is your response to the growing, this increasing terrorism in the region? To the External Affairs Minister, Sir, what is India’s reaction to the morning’s incident in Lahore?
Mr. Ivailo Kalfin (Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bulgaria): I think that indeed what is happening in the last months in the region is attracting the attention of the international community including Bulgaria. We have very strongly condemned all the terrorist activities and all the terrorist attacks, the major one was in Mumbai recently. You mentioned what is happening today in Pakistan. This gunfire against cricket players, against civilians, is something which is another reason to believe that all the countries in the region have to take all the necessary measures and to cooperate in order to eradicate any possibility for organizing terrorist activities, be it in their countries or in neighbouring countries. I think that the first development after the attacks in Mumbai, the prosecution of some individuals in Pakistan, is a positive sign. But this has to be carried on further. There is no more serious provocation, more serious threat to the peace in the region than the terrorist attacks and the terrorist activities. That is why Bulgaria has always expressed, and we are supportive of all the actions, all the activities that the countries in the region are undertaking in order not only to prevent but to eradicate the roots, the incentives, and the possibilities to organize terrorist activities. Otherwise, I am afraid that this is going to be a problem for a long time, not only for the region but for the world as a whole. For terrorism there is no region or aspect. There is a global aspect only.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee (External Affairs Minister of India): So far as our reaction to this event is concerned, I have already stated in the morning. Joint Secretary, XP Division has given the official reaction. We are shocked at the audacious terrorist attack on the cricketers. What clearly emerges from these events - whether it is the terror attack on Mumbai or the attack on the cricketers at Lahore – is that unless the infrastructure facilities available to terrorist organizations within the territory of Pakistan or under its control are completely dismantled and the perpetrators of the terror attack are brought to justice, repetition of this type of incidents may take place. Once again we would request the Pakistani authorities and all concerned, not to divert the attention of the international community from this problem but to address the problem, take courage in both hands, dismantle the infrastructural facilities available there, which are more than often used by the terrorists operating from Pakistan territory or territory under the control of Pakistan, and take strict measures against the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks. Then and only then the issues could be adequately addressed. This is part of the international terrorism. Therefore, the international community also will have to address this issue. Today terrorism is not confined within any geographical territory. It is happening in different parts of the world. Therefore, this menace, which is the biggest menace to international peace and tranquility in the post Cold War era, should be tackled adequately.
Question (Ms Daniel Lachi, Bulgarian National TV): Besides the coordinated actions of both countries against international terrorism as it is today, I would like to ask both Ministers, how do you see the current visit and what would be the future development of our so old, so young relationship? Prof. Mukherjee, you know Bulgaria for so many decades. Do we not have new chances for some new beginning within the framework of the difficult world financial crisis and all these new developments around, Bulgaria being already a full-fledged EU member and India being a strong, emerging global power?
Shri Pranab Mukherjee: So far as our bilateral relations between India and Bulgaria are concerned, it is expanding in all areas. Our relationship is multifaceted. Our bilateral trade is expanding; cultural relationship is expanding; bilateral visits at the high level and exchange of views are taking place regularly. Various institutional arrangements are there which can monitor and actually are monitoring from time to time the progress of our relationship. In the context of the international financial crisis, in fact we have shared our perceptions. Prime Minister, at the margin of the ASEM Meeting, and the G-20 Summit when he attended it, discussed our perception about resolving the crisis. We support the G-20 mechanism through which the issues are being addressed. But one word of caution I would like to utter which was initiated by Prime Minister himself in his Address that developed countries should not resort to protectionism to overcome this crisis. This is the time when developed economies should ensure that there is no hindrance to the flow of investment and suppliers’ credit from the Developed World to the Developing World. These aspects are to be taken care of. Any sort of protectionism will complicate the problem instead of resolving it.
Mr. Ivailo Kalfin: I also think that this visit is going to give another political impetus to our bilateral relations. When friendly countries are making such visits despite the forthcoming political events - there will be elections in India, there will be elections in Bulgaria but - we are talking about cooperation, which is going much beyond the (inaudible) political calendar. The two agreements that we have signed today are going to facilitate travel, the people-to-people contact, the cooperation we have in the field, and exchange of experience. Bulgaria is going to work for a further liberalization of these possibilities under this regime as my host, Minister Mukherjee, also demanded that we should do and I fully agree with him. The agreement for cooperation in the field of science and education is very important because it is going to give additional opportunities for specialists to come to Bulgaria or to come to India, specialists from the Universities, specialists from the schools; cultural events that we appreciate in each country, the other country’s performers. So, this is very much related to the people-to-people contact, to the possibilities of citizens and experts from Bulgaria to come to India and vice versa, Indians to come to Bulgaria and to share the experience. In a broader aspect, I think that this visit is also very important because we are drafting the next steps of the political dialogue. We are preparing in the future - not very distant future, maybe by the end of this year an official visit by President Parvanov to India. We are speaking about the perspectives for the economic cooperation. We have decided to do everything possible to organize, by the end of this year or beginning of next year, next session of the Joint Inter-Government Committee. In April and May we shall host in Bulgaria three meetings of Committees on the Cooperation in Information Technology and Science, and Defence Industry. So this is a very full agenda that we are discussing. And also I am very encouraged with my meetings with the representatives of the business community of India yesterday in FICCI, also meeting some major business people. There are excellent opportunities to increase further both the turnover and the investments, and to work in very important projects in energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, etc., etc., where both countries can complement each other. As His Excellency rightly said, the world economic crisis is something, which is very important for us also. It did not start from our countries but our countries are going to be inevitably, as any country in the world, affected by this world economic downturn. I absolutely supported the views of His Excellency that there should not be any protectionism - that is a very bad idea - in such times. We discussed that it is very important to recreate, to reactivate the international mechanism for financial management including the Bretton Woods Institutions – the World Bank and the IMF. And we have to create a model where the developed economies, the large economies, participate in the debate how to deal with the economic crisis, how to end the economic crisis, but also they make also commitments. So, this approach of G-20 of any format that is including the large countries, the large economies in the world, should be encouraged. And they have to be the ones agreeing and showing leadership in dealing with the economic crisis. If we try to be positive in times of economic crisis, you always see possibilities and opportunities. So, I have seen it in my discussions with the business community yesterday. If you are innovative, if you are looking for new opportunities, for new contacts; then the crisis is going to end faster than otherwise. I think that this is exactly what the business communities and in general both countries are doing.
Official Spokesperson: Given the time constraints, can I request you to please restrict yourself to one question either to EAM or to Deputy Prime Minister?
Question (Ms Geeta Mohan, Headlines Today): My question is to the Hon’ble External Affairs Minister, Mr. Mukherjee. Sir, despite all the pressures India did not allow the Indian cricket team to tour Pakistan quoting security reasons. Now with the recent attacks on the Sri Lankan team, does India stand vindicated?
Shri Pranab Mukherjee: It was not a very pleasant decision that we had to take, but we were constrained to take that decision because we knew that the security situation in Pakistan was not safe. What happened unfortunately in Lahore, we have condemned it. It is to be condemned strongly. But it reminds us that it is the responsibility of the incumbent Government to take all precautions and to take all steps, particularly when the international community wants every responsible member-country to take certain positive steps to fight against terrorism. Each and every country should follow that. And I have in my earlier response indicated what should be done immediately in Pakistan.
Question (Ms Mikhailena Dimitrova, Truth): My question is addressed to His Excellency Mr. Mukherjee. Sir, what is the big challenge today in Indian foreign policy; and where is the place of Europe, and especially of Bulgaria, in the topics of Indian foreign policy?
Shri Pranab Mukherjee: I do not visualise any major challenge before the foreign policy because our foreign policy is time-tested. In fact, over the years we have been able, even during the contemporary period, to achieve our objective by expanding our relationships, whether it is in the regional architecture or within the various international fora. It is not a question or a challenge before any individual country. As I mentioned, terrorism is the biggest menace to world peace and tranquility, and it is a challenge to the human civilisation. The international community will have to address this issue. Each and every responsible member-state of the United Nations Organisation has to fulfill its own obligation towards its own bilateral commitments and international commitments. If it is being done, then the problems can be taken care of.
Official Spokesperson: Thank you very much. The interaction now draws to a close. Thank you for joining us.