SPEECH
BY SHRI K. R. NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, WHILE ACCEPTING
CREDENTIALS FROM MR. JOHAN NORDENFELT AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
OF THE SWEDEN TO INDIA
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 3,
2000
Excellency,
I have great pleasure
in welcoming you to India and in accepting the Letters of Credence from
His Majesty King Carl Gustaf accrediting you as the Ambassador of Sweden
to India.
The friendly relations
between India and Sweden have been characterised by mutually beneficial
cooperation. We recall with pleasure the visit of Their Majesties the King
and Queen of Sweden, accompanied by an important business delegation, to
India in October 1993. We look forward to maintaining the tradition of exchanging
high level visits between our two countries.
The economic relationship
which exists between India and Sweden is important and merits facilitation
by both our Governments. We are aware of the potential which exists for
augmentation of bilateral cooperation given Swedish expertise in various
high-technology fields and our own requirements for foreign investment.
We are happy that an Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments
has recently been signed by our two countries and look forward to enhanced
Swedish investment in India, particularly in the area of infrastructure
development.
Sweden, an important
partner for India in the European Union, will occupy the Presidency of the
Union in the first half of 2001. We look forward to working together on
the blueprint provided by the India-EU Summit Joint Declaration of 28 June
2000 for upgrading the relationship to a qualitatively higher level. The
European Union is our largest trading partner, a significant source of foreign
direct investment and an important interlocutor on multilateral issues of
global concern. We have no doubt that the coming years will see a new strategic
partnership between India and the European Union based on shared values
and aspirations and characterised by enhanced and multi-faceted cooperation.
We share with Sweden
a commitment to the principles of democracy and individual freedom as well
as peaceful co-existence among the nations of the world. I am sure that
we will continue to work together on this basis towards a peaceful and equitable
world order.
I would like to end by
wishing you a successful tenure in India and assuring you of the fullest
cooperation of my Government in the performance of your duties.
Thank you
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