'It Is Not A Game, And It Is Not Over'

Atal Behari Vajpayee:  Friends, I am very happy to welcome the Prime Minister of France and his delegation to India. He has paid usthe compliment of making this his first official visit outside Europe. We appreciate this symbol of ourspecial relationship.

Our discussions today have been wide-ranging and productive. We reviewed the international situationcovering developments in and beyond our neighbourhood. I am happy that we have an identity or similarity ofviews on all the issues we covered. France has been an important friend of India in international fora and weappreciate its consistent support on matters of our concern.

We have a vibrant political relationship and close cooperation in defence, space, information technologyand communications. France is an important center of high technology. Our partnership in research and sharingof technologies can be of great benefit to our peoples. One such sector is water where French know-how canhelp us utilize and manage water resources better. Our new working groups on roads and urban development willhelp us to draw on French expertise to strengthen our infrastructure.

We discussed today the need to further expand our economic and commercial cooperation. While trade has beengrowing, it does not do justice to the potential. Business and industry in our two countries should take upthis challenge. The Government can and will facilitate this process.

I would also like to thank the Prime Minister of France for bringing with him a taste of France in the formof the French Season in India. I am sure the series of activities constituting this event will promote ourmutual understanding and our interactions in the economic and cultural fields. Thank you.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin: I would like to start by thanking the Prime Minister of India for the quality of the welcome which mydelegation and myself have received in Bangalore and in Delhi.

If the present Republic and the Government decided that my first official trip outside of Europe would beto India, it is to reaffirm our intention to strengthen and further cooperation between our two countries, andalso to reaffirm the fact that we share a common vision of the world.

This vision of the world is what France intends to develop during its Presidency of the G-8. It isarticulated around four strong values – solidarity, responsibility, security and democracy.

For solidarity, we would like us to be present in all of our concerns and G-8 will make a number ofadvances in the continuation of the Congress of Children, Johannesburg, to make sure that development is atthe very heart of concerns of the world.

The issue of responsibility is also a very strong message. We would like that statement, not only thestatement but also we can make the actors in the financial field, economic field, social field, ethical fieldthat all these actors should show a great responsibility.

Security is also a part of the common vision, which we share with India. It is to strengthen our fightagainst terrorism and proliferation of terrorism, against all forms of terrorism.

The topic of democracy is also extremely important. Democracy is in fact a dialogue with civil society.India has recently shown its deep attachment to the values of democracy by organizing elections in a region ofthe world with very painful territorial difficulties. It is because we share this common vision that morepeople of the world wish to strengthen and reaffirm our cooperation today. Our exchanges are not at the levelof our friendship.

We welcome the initiatives which have been developed during this trip. First of all the launch of theFrench Season in India but also the French presence in Bangalore and also a whole of series of initiativeswhich have been taken by the members of the delegation, not only by entrepreneurs but also by cultural actorswho have all committed themselves to participate to a greater extent to our exchanges. Together we wish todevelop Indian investment in France and French investment in India.

We also want to give further momentum to receiving Indian students in France. In three years we have movedfrom 150 young people in France to 1000. We do feel that this level is not sufficient and we wish tostrengthen our cooperation in the field of education and research.

Thanks to the very large Ministerial delegation I have here with me, several concrete initiatives weredeveloped. I think I can name one of the contracts which was signed in Bangalore, companies such as Snecma orADS, These are large groups but also smaller groups have also engaged in new partnerships, which inaeronautics and space industry is an example of good cooperation.

I also work on the fact that major files in the field of defence are also progressing, but also in thefield of industrial development in the civilian field. We have also heard the message concerning the civilianuse of nuclear energy. We have also been pleased to be informed that the case of the order of Airbus, in thewords of the Prime Minister, "is on the right track". This, as other major cases for instance I amthinking of the contract of … for the building of a hydroelectric power plant in the State of … Wedeveloped many initiatives and the Ministers who are present here shall see them through.

I shall end with a message which is both sad, but also which is very future-oriented. I would like toexpress to the Prime Minister of India our heart-felt condolences for the death of Kalpana Chawla in theconditions that we all know. Claudie Haignere, who is the Minister of Research, who also is himself anastronaut, heard the last message from Kalpana Chawla. It was from the Shuttle, a message to the young peopleof India. The message is as follows, "The path which leads from dreams to success does exist. May you havesufficient vision to find it, brave enough to start upon it and persevering enough to follow it to its end. Iwish you a great trip."

I wish for a great trip to the friendship between India and France.

Thank you, very much.

Question (Indian Media): My question is addressed to the French Prime Minister. Mr. Prime Minister, you spoke earlier today about Iraqand in that you said that Iraq could not content itself with passive, resigned cooperation any more. Has thestand of the French Government changed after the speech of Secretary Powell in the UN? What are theimplications of an attack on Iraq on a multi-polar world order?

Jean-Pierre Raffarin: The position of France has not changed after the communication of Secretary Powell before the Security Councilof the United Nations. It is a contribution, and we like all countries who have information to communicate tocontribute to the Inspectors so as to enable the Inspectors to present their report before the United Nationson the 14th of February. It is only then that Security Council shall be in a position to assess the situation.We have said, ‘We do not wish for war’. We have said, ‘We do not want war." We have said that Iraq canstill change the situation if it is to move from a passive cooperation to an active cooperation and enablesthe Inspectors to fulfill their mission for the Security Council to assess the situation.

Question (Indian Media):  This is question for both the Prime Ministers. President Bush has said, "The game is over in Iraq." Iwould like to know whether you consider this a declaration of war. What are the consequences of this?

Atal Behari Vajpayee:  I do not think that the game is over. Evidence which has been produced by America is to be carefully examined.Inspectors should be encouraged to continue with their work and to make every effort to find out whether anyweapons are shielded, or any weapons are not noticed. I sincerely hope that Iraq will fully comply withResolution 1441 of the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council needs to use all the wisdom of its membersto resolve this matter.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin: It is not a game, and it is not over. Our position is the same as the one which has been expressed by thePrime Minister of India. There are other alternatives to war. We would like that the process that was engagedwith the Resolution 1441 should continue to its end.

Question (Indian Media) I have a question for His Excellency the Prime Minister of France. Political relations between India andFrance have always been very close. The Prime Minister said, "France has always been a consistent friend oIndia." Why is it then that economic ties have not really taken off the way they should have? How do youthink economic ties will be boosted by this visit?

Jean-Pierre Raffarin: I have come here precisely for this purpose, to give further life to our friendship and to develop ourcooperation. I believe that our cooperation must be extended from the political arena to that of economicexchanges, social matters and also cultural matters. This is why I have come accompanied by a very largedelegation not only of industrial leaders but also cultural actors, and people who have a responsibility inthe media, so as to highlight the fact that France and India are to continue and further their cooperation.

I believe that there are further ways of extending our exchanges, not only exchanges between our industrialleaders and cultural actors but I think also exchanges between young people and young researchers. This willbe one of the priorities of action of my Government.

Question (Indian Media):  This is a question to both the Prime Ministers. This concerns the mention you have made of Airbus on which wewould like some details. You said that the negotiations are going in the right direction. We would like toknow whether these are concerned with both the airlines or one, how many aircraft, and when this can befinalized?

Atal Behari Vajpayee:  As I said in the morning to a question asked by a journalist, the question of procuring Airbus aircraft isunder consideration. We are having talks on that. Now a decision is going to be made final in a short time.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin: I must welcome the fact that the Prime Minister has said ‘a short time’, which would translate as ‘soon’.So, to be specific, it concerns 43 Airbus aircraft. This was following the decision announced in last March byIndian Airlines. This shows indeed the trust which exists between the two companies – Airbus and IndianAirlines. We welcome the fact that a decision will be taken soon. Friendship always takes time!