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International Affairs
SPEECH BY SHRI K.R. NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, WHILE ACCEPTING THE CREDENTIALS FROM MR. ZEPHYR MUTANGUHA, AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA TO INDIA

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 12, 1997

I am happy to receive the Letter of Credence appointing you as the new Ambassador of Rwanda to India with residence in Tokyo.

India and Rwanda enjoy friendly relations based on a common commitment to the ideals of peace and development. In recent years our bilateral relations have made significant progress. I am confident that you, Mr. Ambassador, would strive to further strengthen these bonds.

We in India have shared in the agony of the people of Rwanda following the incidents of the last few years. We have been pained by the tragic loss of innocent lives, the destruction of property and large-scale devastation that took place in your country. We appreciate the positive and concrete steps taken by the Government of Rwanda to normalize the situation and ensure the return of over one million refugees. It is our hope that in the coming years, Rwanda would progress rapidly on the path of peace, reconstruction and development, so that its people can, at last, savour the fruits of their hard won independence.

India is firmly committed to the goals of South-South cooperation. Our two countries are jointly exploring new areas of cooperation in the fields of agriculture, dairy farming, transportation and human resource development. Over the last few decades, we have devised methodologies to adapt advanced scientific and engineering techniques for the betterment of our society. We are willing to share these experiences with the people of Rwanda and to participate substantively in their endeavours to develop indigenous capacities and attain self-reliance.

As members of the Nonaligned Movement, India and Rwanda share common perceptions on many international issues. The recent Ministerial meeting of the Nonaligned Movement in Delhi outlined several important measures to strengthen the Movement and to equip developing countries to effectively address the challenges of the twenty first century.

I wish to convey through you, Mr. Ambassador, on behalf of the people and the Government of India, and on my own behalf, greetings and good wishes to His Excellency President Pasteur Bizimungu. In wishing you a successful tenure as Ambassador to India, I assure you of the fullest cooperation of my Government in our mutual effort to strengthen the existing ties between our two Governments and peoples.

Thank you

Jai Hind
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