SPEECH
BY SHRI K.R.NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, WHILE ACCEPTING
THE CREDENTIALS FROM MR. GIHAD RIFAAT MOHAMED MADI, AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT TO INDIA
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1998
Excellency,
It gives me great pleasure
to accept your Credentials as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Arab Republic of Egypt to India. I welcome you warmly and extend
my sincere congratulations on your appointment to this position of high
status and responsibility.
Indo-Egyptian relations
go back several millennia. These have been fashioned by history through
the convergence of two great ancient civilizations, linking not just India
and Egypt, but South Asia and West Asia. This interaction has, over the
centuries, encompassed almost every aspect of human endeavour - cultural,
social, spiritual, political, as well as commercial.
In modern times, India
and Egypt have been engaged in the consolidation of our national independence
and sovereignty. This has brought our countries much closer to each other
and led to our working together for founding the Nonaligned Movement. Along
with other like-minded countries, India and Egypt articulated the struggle
for decolonisation in Africa and Asia, against apartheid in South Africa,
and for peace and disarmament in the world. We have always worked closely
together, within NAM, the UN, and Group of 77, in promoting a common political
and economic agenda for the developing world and for securing a high priority
for the developmental needs of the South.
India's strong defence
of Arab rights and of the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people
in particular owes much to the ethos underlying Indo-Egyptian friendship.
We appreciate the leading role that Egypt has played in bringing about peace
in the Middle East and strongly support the Middle East Peace Process.
Excellency, the central
objectives of NAM remain as valid in the post cold war world as they were
in the past.
The post-Cold War international
agenda is being shaped in a manner that largely reflects the interests of
industrialised countries. India, Egypt, and other like-minded countries
therefore need to work closely together, for the sake of our larger common
interests. These include the issue of United Nations reform and the expansion
of the Security Council. We need to work together in other world fora in
matters relating to trade and disarmament.
Excellency, India has
consistently pursued the objectives of international peace and security
through global and non-discriminatory disarmament. We are committed to working
for this ideal.
In recent years, our
bilateral relations have taken on a new dynamism. Our respective programmes
of economic reforms and liberalisation have created new opportunities on
both sides. A great scope also exists for meaningful cooperation in high
technology areas like informatics, computer software, solar energy, biotechnology
and the utilisation of non-renewable sources of energy.
Excellency, I would like
to assure you that in your capacity as the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt, you will receive full cooperation
from the Government of India. I wish you an enjoyable and productive stay
in India and every success in your endeavours to further promote Indo-Egypt
friendship.
May I take this opportunity
to convey my best wishes to the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt,
His Excellency Mohamed Husni Mubarak and for the prosperity and well being
of the Egyptian people.
Thank you
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