SPEECH
BY SHRI K.R.NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, WHILE ACCEPTING
CREDENTIALS FROM MR. IBRAGIM R. MAVLANOV, AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN TO INDIA
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 13,
2000
Excellency,
I have great pleasure
in accepting the credentials for your appointment as Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to India. I welcome you
and wish you a pleasant and fruitful stay in my country. I also take this
opportunity to convey my sincere thanks to His Excellency Mr. Islam Karimov,
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, for the kind sentiments he has
conveyed through you.
India's relations with
Central Asia, of which Uzbekistan is a key member, are deeply rooted in
history. It is a matter of satisfaction that these traditional relations
with your country have gathered momentum and substance since Uzbekistan's
independence eight years ago. Our bilateral political relations are problem-free.
There is a reservoir of goodwill and cultural affinities between our two
societies that sustain and nourish our contemporary relations.
We share common values
of secularism and democracy, while rejecting religious fundamentalism and
methods of terrorism. A cooperative relationship between India and Uzbekistan
will contribute positively to the strengthening of the forces of pluralism
and tolerance and help in bringing about peace and stability in the region
that has in recent months seen grave challenges from obscurantists and cross-border
terrorists.
High level contacts between
our two countries have enhanced understanding of each other's concerns and
aspirations. We keenly look forward to the visit to H.E. Mr. Islam Karimov,
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at an early date to provide further
depth and content to our relationship.
Commensurate with the
existing cordiality of political relations, it is imperative to consolidate
and diversify our economic and commercial links for which considerable potential
exists on both sides. The current two-way trade of US $ 25 million does
not do justice to our true potentials. Increased economic and commercial
interaction must be high on our agenda of mutually beneficial cooperation.
This is equally true of our cooperation in the field of science and technology
where there is so much to be learnt from each other.
Cultural and educational
exchanges form yet another bond and help in creating people to people contact
which ultimately lead to harmonious and closer State relations. India and
Uzbekistan have a unique legacy of close historical and cultural bonds.
Bukhara and Samarkand are as much landmarks in India's cultural history
as they are in Uzbekistan's.
I am confident, Excellency,
that during your tenure, you would be able to contribute significantly to
furtherance of Indo-Uzbek relations. I would like to assure you of full
support of the Government of India in all your endeavours.
Thank you
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