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Prime Minister to embark on three-nation Asia tour on Sunday | Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will undertake a three-nation official visit to Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam that begins this Sunday (Oct.24). Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao
briefed
reporters in the capital on Friday about the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister
that will have a tight schedule following various meetings and programmes. Talking
to reporters, Nirupama Rao said as India enunciated its 'Look East' policy in
1992, the strategy was to qualitatively enchance synergies and civilizational
linkages with the dynamic East and South East Asian region. Over these past 18
years we have made visible progress in attaining these goals. There are dimensions
to India that encapsulate an identity that is South Asian, that is South-east
Asian, that is East Asian. "India, is now a member of the East Asia Summit and
holds annual Summit meetings with the ASEAN. Our relations with Japan stand
transformed.
The Indian economy is getting increasingly integrated with those of its East Asian
partners," said the Foreign Secretary adding Prime Minister Dr. Singh's three-nation
Asian tour is organically defined by this process. Nirupama Rao informed reporters
that Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will first visit Japan for his Annual Summit
with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan. He arrives in Tokyo on the evening of
October 24. On Monday (October 25), the PM and his wife Gursharan Kaur will
have
an audience with their Majesties, The Emperor and Empress of Japan. Dr. Singh,
on the same evening, will hold extensive discussions with Prime Minister Naoto
Kan both in restricted and delegation level sessions, on bilateral, regional and
global issues. Nirupama Rao said the Prime Ministers are expected to announce
the conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement
or, CEPA. "The agreement signifies the economic alignment of two of the largest
economies in Asia and would lead to a marked increase in our business and
economic
ties. CEPA is a win-win proposition for both our countries," the Foreign Secretary
stated. She further said: "Prime Ministers Dr. Singh and Kan will also discuss
Japanese involvement in major infrastructure development projects in India, such
as the Dedicated Freight Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. India
continues to be the largest recipient of Japanese ODA, of which we are very
appreciative."
India-Japan consultations are expected to cover bilateral security cooperation
that has been progressing well in the context and framework of the Joint Declaration
on Security Cooperation and the Action Plan on Security Cooperation signed last
December in New Delhi, Nirupama Rao informed. She said that High Technology
Trade
and Energy Cooperation including renewable and civil nuclear, are also subjects
that are receiving high level attention. India and Japan have a similar outlook
on a host of regional and global issues, including UN reforms, regional integration
within East Asia and the rejuvenation of Nalanda University. "Fellow G-4 countries,
we have been engaged with the comity of nations in ushering-in earliest expansion
of UNSC, both in permanent and non-permanent categories," Nirupama Rao said
while
adding that some important documents are likely to be signed. Prime Minister Kan
will also host a banquet in honour of Prime Minister Dr Singh and his wife Gursharan
Kaur. Prime Minister will also meet a number of Japanese dignitaries including
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, as well
as, former Prime Ministers Mori, Abe and Fukuda, besides DPJ Secretary General
and former FM Okada, informed Nirupama Rao. She said, Dr. Singh will address a
Business event organized by Nippon Keidanren. As such, PM will have a full
program
in Japan which will advance our Strategic and Global Partnership. On the second
leg of his tour, the Prime Minister will pay an official visit to Malaysia from
26 to 28 October, at the invitation of the Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib
Tun Abdul Razak. The latter had earlier been on a State visit to India in January
this year, said the Foreign Secretary. Nirupama Rao said India and Malaysia have
traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties. "Malaysia is also home to one of
our largest overseas Indian-origin communities of about 2.1 million, constituting
8% of the country's population, besides some 150,000 skilled and semi-skilled
Indian workers. Thousands of our students study in each other's country. As such
to enhance people to people ties, an Indian Cultural Centre was opened in Kuala
Lumpur in February 2010," she said. Malaysia, Nirupama Rao said, is our second
largest trading partner in the ASEAN region. Malaysian investors are increasingly
viewing India as an attractive destination. Malaysian construction companies have
a good presence in India and have already completed 52 construction projects worth
2.34 billion dollars. Thirty five more projects are in the pipeline. "To give
our economic engagement a strong impetus, the Prime Ministers are expected to
announce the conclusion of negotiations on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic
Cooperation Agreement or CECA." PM will have in-depth discussions with his
counterpart
on all facets of bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues of
mutual interest. Both Prime Ministers will launch the CEOs' Forum signaling their
strong expectation that business and industry on both sides, will foster a closer
and deeper economic engagement. Dr. Singh will deliver the Khazanah Global
Lecture
2010, pay a visit to 'Little India' and will attend an Indian community reception
hosted by the High Commissioner. "A number of agreements are likely to be signed
during PM's visit. India and Malaysia are striving to give a strategic orientation
to their partnership and crafting broad based ties focusing on key sectors like
IT, infrastructure, health & medicine, biotechnology and energy. Prime Minister's
visit will further this process," Nirupama Rao informed. Nirupama Rao said Prime
Minister Dr. Singh will travel to Hanoi (Vietnam) on the third and final leg of
his Asia tour, for participating in the 8th India-ASEAN Summit and 5th East Asia
Summits on October 30, 2010. The India-ASEAN Summit, Nirupama Rao said, will
take
place in the forenoon, when Prime Minister will hold discussions with his 10 ASEAN
counterparts. The Foreign Secretary said: "Our relationship has indeed come a
long way. The India-ASEAN Trade-in-Goods Agreement became operational on
1st January,
2010. We expect to complete negotiations on the Trade in Services and Investment
Agreement soon. To give a fillip to our economic engagement an India-ASEAN
Trade
Fair and Business Summit is planned at New Delhi in March, 2011." The India-
ASEAN
Plan of Action for 2010-15, is proposed to be adopted during the Summit. A series
of events are also being contemplated next year leading to the first ever
India-ASEAN
Commemorative Summit in India in 2012, she informed. Informing the reporters that
the 5th East Asia Summit will also be held on October 30, Nirupama Rao informed
that it would deliberate on the issues of (a) Energy, Environment, climate change
and sustainable development (b) Financial Cooperation (c) Pandemics (d) Natural
Disaster Mitigation (e) Education and (f) Comprehensive Economic Partnership in
East Asia (CEPEA) and Economic and Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia
(ERIA).
"The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues and
on the future cooperation in EAS. They are expected to invite US and Russia to
attend EAS as the 'Guest of the Host' with formal entry at Summit level scheduled
for 2011," she stated. Prime Minister would take this opportunity to, interalia,
brief the East Asia Summit leaders on the Nalanda University Project, which is
now ready to take-off after the acquisition of land and passage of the Nalanda
University bill in Parliament, Nirupama Rao added. The Foreign Secretary said
the Summit would adopt the 'Hanoi Declaration on the Commemoration of the Fifth
Anniversary of the East Asia Summit'. "All EAS leaders will also pay a courtesy
call on President of Vietnam His Excellency Nguyen Minh Triet who will host a
lunch in their honour," she said.
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