Former Prime Minister of India - Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statement on his departure for Cyprus, Denmark and United Kingdom

Following is the text of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement on his departure for Cyprus, Denmark and UK, from October 07-13, 2002, here today:

~I leave today on a visit to Cyprus, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

The visit to Cyprus continues the tradition of regular exchanges of high-level visits commensurate with our close bilateral relations with that country. I look forward to my discussions with President Clerides on all aspects of our bilateral relations as well as issues of regional and international concern.

In Denmark, I will lead the Indian delegation to the 3rd India-EU summit and also address a special plenary session of the India-EU Business Summit. Our growing relationship with the EU is reinforced by strengthening political relations with its member countries and an increasing economic engagement with the EU. The summit and the Business summit will provide an opportunity to review the state of relations, identify bottlenecks to progress and to chart out an agenda for future cooperation.

I will take the opportunity of the visit to Denmark to hold bilateral discussions with the leadership of that country.

On my way back to India I will stop over in London for discussion with the Prime Minister of UK. Prime Minister Blair and I have established a process of regular bilateral consultations which benefit the bilateral relationship and enable discussions on a number of important international issues. While in London I hope to meet a cross-section of the community of Indian origin.

India’s immediate concerns on terrorism and the status of the global coalition against international terrorism will remain major themes in my discussions with my interlocutors in all the three countries.~