Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's Statement at Interaction with accompanying media

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has said that India and Mauritius have agreed to mandate an empowered negotiating team to negotiate within twelve months a 'Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA). In his opening statement at the interaction with the accompanying media at Port Louis, Mauritius today, the Prime Minister said that the Agreement would reflect the best possible complementarities in the strengths of both economies and explore the vast possibilities that exist for enhancing cooperation in trade in goods and services and promote investment flows. "The CECPA can be anchored around a Free Trade Agreement covering these three areas. While being consistent with our multilateral commitments, CECPA will facilitate closer interactions of our economies and also facilitate exploration of opportunities in third countries", he added. He expressed confidence that the Agreement would transform the economic interaction between the two countries to a qualitatively higher level and consolidate India's strategic partnership with Mauritius. The following is the text of the Prime Minister's opening statement: "My visit to Mauritius has been a very special experience for me. I find that my meetings with the great Indian Diaspora are a source of inspiration and rejuvenation.I am therefore very happy that my first bilateral visit abroad since I became Prime Minister ten months ago has been to Mauritius.This was a visit that has been overdue and I am happy that I have been able to use the time available during the recess in our Budget Session to visit Port Louis. India's relationship with Mauritius is unique - uniquely close, and I believe, mature. We have strong self-evident compatibilities, and we benefit from the presence in Mauritius of a strong and self-confident community of persons of Indian origin. During the visit, I affirmed to my hosts that the special quality of our relations with Mauritius is cherished by all Indians. I began my visit with paying tribute to the memory of Sir Seewoosagur Ramagoolam, a committed patriot, the Father of Mauritius and a devoted friend of India. I called on President Jugnauth, and on Prime Minister Berenger, with whom I also hold delegation-level talks. A short while ago, I met the Leader of the Opposition Dr. Naveen Ramgoolam and the Deputy PM Mr. Pravind Jugnauth. I shall meet the Chief Justice and the Foreign Minister shortly. A joint statement is being issued which sets out the different issues we have discussed, so I shall not repeat those details. However, I would like to mention that India and Mauritius have agreed to mandate an empowered negotiating team to negotiate within twelve months a comprehensive Economic Cooperation and partnership Agreement. This Agreement will reflect the best possible complementarities in the strengths of both our economies and explore the vast possibilities that exist for enhancing cooperation in trade in goods and services and promote investment flows. The CECPA can be anchored around a Free Trade Agreement covering these three areas. While being consistent with our multilateral commitments, CECPA will facilitate closer interactions of our economies and also facilitate exploration of opportunities in third countries. I have every confidence that this Agreement will transform our economic interactions to a qualitatively higher level and consolidate our strategic partnership with Mauritus. I want to underscore same broad points about the objectives of my visit and then I shall take your questions I have spoken a minute ago about the special relations between India and Mauritius. Regular exchanges of high-level visits between our two countries reinforce this relationship and I wanted to maintain that pattern. Our privileged relationship with Mauritius encompasses our contacts with the Mauritian Indian community. Several engagements today were oriented to paying tribute to and saluting this impressive group. My visit to the Aapravasi Ghat and the Civic Reception with which the Mauritian Indian community honoured me this morning have touched me. Our particular economic ties with Mauritius have been a significant part of our relationship. During my visit, the dedication of the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre and the inauguration of the Cyber Tower, both of which were constructed with Indian assistance, will give a forward looking orientation to our economic ties. Mauritius is a significant tourist destination and aspires to become a knowledge hub - with strengths in IT and services; these two projects are fashioned to serve those objectives. I have assured Mauritius that India will provide all possible assistance in meeting the challenges of globalisation. I was privileged to address the Mauritian Parliament yesterday, following my predecessors, Smt. Indira Gandhi, Shri Rajiv Gandhi and Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This was an honour done not just to me but to the values of democracy and pluralism that both India and Mauritius represent. I want to draw your attention to what I think is a very important aspect. India is a vibrant and successful democracy committed to plural values. Mauritius, with its talented and successful Mauritian Indian community represents those same values. I would like to think this represents the Indian genius in a very striking and valuable manner, which holds lessons for other nations and regions."