SPEECH
BY SHRI K.R. NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, WHILE ACCEPTING
CREDENTIALS FROM MS. LUCIA MUVINGI, HIGH COMMISSIONER-DESIGNATE
OF ZIMBABWE TO INDIA
NEW DELHI, MONDAY,
MARCH 1, 1998
Excellency,
I am greatly pleased
to receive the Letter of Credence appointing you as the new High Commissioner
of the Republic of Zimbabwe to India. On behalf of the Government and the
people of India, and on my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome to you.
The relationship between
India and Zimbabwe has been founded on the history of the struggle against
colonial domination and apartheid. It has been strengthened by our significant
mutuality of interests in the political, economic and cultural fields, and
by the similarity of our views on issues of international concern. It is
our sincere desire to further consolidate these traditionally warm and friendly
relations.
We look forward to an
early visit to India by President Mugabe.
It is a matter of great
happiness that our bilateral relations have blossomed into a multifaceted
interaction and we are working closely to benefiting from each other's experiences.
In the economic arena, relations between our two countries have been growing
satisfactorily. There exists considerable scope to expand our collaboration
even further for the mutual benefit of our two peoples. The programme of
economic reforms in our country having opened up new opportunities for trade
and joint ventures, I am confident, Indo-Zimbabwean economic relations will
become even stronger.
India has been a privileged
participant in Zimbabwe's programme of economic and human resource development.
We are committed to sharing our developmental experience with Zimbabwe.
Our co-operation has progressed substantially within the framework of the
Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation Programme and the Special Commonwealth
African Assistance Plan. We look forward to an early realization of the
bilateral projects under consideration including the setting up of the Information
Technology Training Centre in Harare, and the project for co-operation between
our two countries in the priority area of Small and Medium Enterprises.
India and Zimbabwe are
both members of the NAM, the Commonwealth and the G-15. The United Nations
remains the beacon of hope for mankind. After more than five decades of
its existence, its institutions now need to be restructured in order to
provide greater representation to developing countries. We look forward
to working closely with Zimbabwe in our common endeavour to resist the imposition
of piecemeal, temporary or partial reform measures and to ensure that the
interests of the developing countries are fully secured.
As India and Zimbabwe
stand at the threshold of a new millennium, it is imperative that both countries
work together to realize a more just, equitable and fair world order. In
this context, we are appreciative of Zimbabwe's role in providing leadership
to a resurgent Africa moving towards its own tryst with destiny.
I wish to convey through
you, Madam High Commissioner, my warm greetings to President Robert Gabriel
Mugabe and my good wishes for his health and success.
In wishing you a successful
term of office, I would like to assure you of the fullest co-operation of
the Government of India in your efforts to strengthen the relations between
our two governments and peoples.
Thank you
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