SPEECH
BY SHRI K R NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA, WHILE ACCEPTING THE CREDENTIALS
FROM DR. HEINRICH-DIETRICH DIECKMANN, AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY TO INDIA
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 16, 1997
Excellency,
I have great pleasure
in welcoming you to India and in accepting the letter of credence from
the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Professor Roman Herzog
accrediting you as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Federal Republic of Germany to India.
Relations between
Germany and India, built upon the foundations of shared fundamental values
have developed and intensified over the years. Our two countries are committed
to the principles of democracy and individual freedom under the rule of
law as well as peaceful coexistence among the nations of the world. Over
the years, these affinities have enabled us to forge a relationship based
on mutual trust, goodwill and cooperation. I am confident that India and
Germany will continue to work together for a harmonious and peaceful world
order.
Regular high level
contacts between the leaders of our countries have played an important
role in carrying forward our traditionally close relations to qualitatively
higher levels. These include the visits of our Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi
in 1988, our President R. Venkataraman in 1989, our Prime Minister, P.V.
Narasimha Rao in 1991 and 1994, Chancellor Kohl's visit to India in 1982,
1986 and 1993 and President Weizsaecker's visit in 1991.
Significant awards
have been conferred on important personalities in both our countries and
are a reflection of the importance we attach to our relations. Chancellor
Kohl was conferred the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International
Understanding in 1993. Earlier, Alfred Wurfel and Gisela Bonn were given
one of India's highest civilian awards, the Padma Shri. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan,
India's second President, received the Peace Prize of the German Book
Trade in 1961, when he was Vice President and the Goethe Plaque in 1959.
Smt. Vijayalakshmi Pandit received the first Gottingen University's Dorothea-Schlozer
Medal in 1958. When Gisela Bonn died last year, the Indian Government
instituted an annual award in her memory.
Economic exchanges
between India and Germany are being strengthened. Germany is India's largest
trading partner in Europe. The Indo-German Chamber of Commerce is the
largest bilateral chamber Germany has with any country. Germany, today
is involved in the exciting and challenging exercise of European integration
in the European Union, which is our largest trade and technology partner.
Cooperation in the
fields of Science and Technology began with Germany's involvement in the
Rourkela Plant, which even today stands as a fine example of Indo-German
cooperation in this sector. The Indo-German Agreement on Science and Technology
Cooperation signed in 1974 and subsequent Special Agreements in the fields
of Atomic Energy and Space Research are significant milestones on the
road towards bilateral scientific cooperation.
Excellency, India's
history since independence has demonstrated that our political institutions
are strong and that our democratic traditions are deep rooted and resilient.
During your tenure, you will be able to witness for yourself our deep
commitment to improving the quality of life of our people and the vast
variety and richness of our civilisation and culture.
I wish you and your
family, Excellency, a successful tenure in India and assure you of the
fullest cooperation of my government in the performance of your duties.
Thank you
|
