SPEECH
BY SHRI K R NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA,WHILE ACCEPTING THE CREDENTIALS
FROM REAR ADMIRAL THOMAS KWESI ANNAN, HIGH COMMISSIONER-DESIGNATE
OF GHANA TO INDIA
NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER,
28, 1997
Excellency,
I am happy to receive
the Letter of Credence appointing you as the High Commissioner of the
Republic of Ghana to India. I should like to congratulate you and extend
a warm welcome to India.
India and Ghana share
a common view of the world derived from our similar historical experiences
and the shared aspirations of our peoples. Our two countries are founder
members of the Nonaligned Movement. Over the years, we have collaborated
as partners in our common endeavour to foster international peace and
development and fashion a world order that is just and equitable.
India is now commemorating
the fiftieth anniversary of its independence. In these five decades, our
country has made considerable progress in a range of industrial, agricultural,
scientific and technological areas laying the basis for a modern and resurgent
economy. We have been in the forefront of the movement for co-operation
among the developing countries.
India stands ready
to share its developmental experiences with the fraternal people of Ghana
in the true spirit of South-South cooperation. For some years now we have
worked together in the area of development of human resources, principally
through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme. I am
happy to note that, following the visit to Ghana two years ago of the
Prime Minister of India, new areas of co-operation have been identified,
and a Joint Commission has been established. India is keen to participate
in efforts to modernise the infrastructure of Ghana, whether in the areas
of telecommunications, rural electrification or provision of health services.
We must make concerted efforts to increase bilateral trade so as to realise
its full potential. Our co-operation in the fields of education, culture
and science would go a long way in bringing our two peoples closer together.
I wish to convey
through you, Mr. High Commissioner, on behalf of the Government and the
people of India, and on my own behalf, greetings and good wishes to H.E.
Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, President of the Republic of Ghana. We were
touched by his gesture to attend the funeral of Mother Teresa in Calcutta.
I was happy to receive him when he stopped over in Delhi and to have had
a useful exchange of views on how we could strengthen our bilateral relations.
In wishing you a
successful term of office, I would like to assure you of the fullest cooperation
of the Government of India in our common endeavour to strengthen the already
existing friendly relations between our two countries and peoples.
Thank you
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