The Hindu : 'No concrete steps on trilateral cooperation'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 12, 2002

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'No concrete steps on trilateral cooperation'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI DEC. 11. No concrete steps have been taken to further trilateral cooperation among India, Russia and China, the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, said in the Rajya Sabha today. Responding to questions on a statement he made on the recent visit by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, he said the issue had figured in a meeting of the three Foreign Ministers in New York but since then no concrete steps had been taken.

The Prime Minister stressed that there had been no change of policy as far as weaponisation of outer space was concerned. He was responding to a question on the joint statement by India and Russia on the need to prevent the weaponisation of outer space.

Earlier, Mr. Vajpayee said in identical statements in both Houses of Parliament that Mr. Putin's visit underlined Moscow and New Delhi's "mutual commitment'' to constantly strengthen their strategic partnership, intensify political consultations and give a new dimension to economic relations.

``We will continue to attach the highest importance to our relations with Russia. In keeping with our commitment to annual summits, I have accepted President Putin's invitation to visit Russia next year,'' he remarked. The Prime Minister concurred with the Russian leader that the international regime on civilian applications of nuclear energy needed reforms. ``President Putin confirmed Russia's interest in continued cooperation with India on civilian applications of nuclear energy. In the joint press interaction after our talks, he expressed the view that the international regime on these matters needs reform. We fully agree with this,'' Mr. Vajpayee said.

On defence cooperation between the two countries, he said this now included joint research, development and production. The state-of-the-art Brahmos missile was a result of joint collaboration. ``India and Russia are now embarking on the co-production of this (Brahmos) missile system for its induction into the armed forces of both countries. President Putin and I agreed that a number of other projects hold promise for future cooperation,'' Mr. Vajpayee maintained. He said that the "Delhi Declaration'' reaffirmed that neither country would take any action which may threaten or impair the security of the other.

"We have declared that both countries would be guided by these principles in their security and defence policies and military-technical cooperation with third countries....'' On the international situation, the two countries agreed that "strong and sustained'' measures were needed to combat terrorism. "The U.N. Security Council resolutions against terrorism — and particularly resolution 1373 — should be strictly implemented.'' ``As victims of terrorism having its roots in our common neighbourhood, India and Russia have a strong security interest in meeting this threat through preventive and deterrent measures, nationally and bilaterally. The agreement to set up a joint working group on combating terrorism will further strengthen our cooperation in this sphere,'' the Prime Minister said.

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