'Liquidate The Whole Terrorist Infrastructure'

Hyderabad House at 1830 Hours
4th December, 2002

(Text in italics is the unedited version as translated by the Official Russian Interpreter in case ofPresident Putin; and spoken in Hindi, translated into English, in case of Prime Minister Vajpayee)

Opening Statement by Atal Behari Vajpayee

It is a great pleasure to have President Putin and his delegation here with us in India. His visit is partof our recent tradition of annual summits, which we established during President Putin’s visit to India inOctober, 2000. Regular summit level dialogue is an important element of our strategic partnership.

Our discussions today covered a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutualconcern. The two declarations which we have just signed show the extent of convergence of our interests andperspectives.

We have agreed to intensify and widen our cooperation against terrorism bilaterally and in multilateralfora. We exchanged views on the terrorist activity which threatens the stability of our region. Recentterrorist acts in various parts of India, in Moscow, Bali, Mombasa and elsewhere have shown that terrorism isseeking ever-newer targets.

The defence mechanisms have to be well coordinated. India-Russia Defence Cooperation has transcended abuyer-seller relationship and now encompasses joint research, design, development and co-production. PresidentPutin and I agree to take this cooperation forward in projects of mutual benefit and in the interest of ournational security.

Our cooperation in the peaceful application of our atomic energy and space technology has been veryfruitful and we have agreed to look at ways to further it.

We have taken a hard look at measures to bring India-Russia bilateral trade up to the true potential bydiversifying our trade basket. In this regard we welcome the recent Russian interest in the Indiantelecommunications, electronics and information technology sectors in addition to the traditional areas ofpower and metallurgy.

Commercialization of technologies developed through joint science and technology projects is anotherpromising area of future collaboration. We are also looking at measures to promote greater investment flowsfrom our two countries.

Cooperation in energy has a long-term strategic significance for both our countries. Our collaboration inthe Sakhalin-I project has made good progress. We have agreed to extend our cooperation to other areasincluding the Caspian Sea and to other aspects of energy sector.

President Putin has invited me to visit Russia. I have accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Thank you.

Opening Statement by Vladimir Putin

Dear ladies and gentlemen, first of all I would like to sincerely thank our Indian friends for theircordiality and hospitality. Today during the day, we had a number of meetings with the Prime Minister ofIndia, with his colleagues Ministers as well as with the representatives of the Opposition.

 I should, with satisfaction note that the development of Russia and India relations is good andthere is no doubt, and it is the point for mutual understanding between the nations. We were pleased with mycolleagues to see that the situation is absolutely the same here in Delhi.

Now I would like to say a couple of words about the results of our work. First of all, the declaration onthe further strengthening of strategic partnership between Russia and India has been signed. This is apolitical document which lays a solid basis for our interaction in all aspects of international and otheractivities.

We have also signed the Joint Declaration on strengthening and developing economic, scientific andtechnological cooperation, and a number of other documents. By strengthening the legal framework of ourbilateral relations, we made yet another step towards the development of strategic partnership between ourStates.

And we have a joint objective to make the world in which we live more just, democratic and secure. I thinkthat in the environment of a complex international situation, our constant dialogue is of special importance.And our multi-faceted cooperation is an important factor of the international policy.

On a whole number of issues our positions are close or coincide. This pertains, in the first instance, tothe issues of providing strategic stability and security, combating international terrorism, extremism andseparatism as well as international and trans-national crime.

Our estimates of the situation in Afghanistan coincide in many aspects. We have also expressed our views onthe situation which develops around Iraq.

We have paid special attention to the development of the situation in the South Asia. Russia strictly andcontinuously supports the normalization and improvement of India and Pakistan relations. This position wasconfirmed in June this year in the course of my meetings with Prime Minister of India, Mr. Vajpayee, andPresident of Pakistan Mr. Musharraf in Alma Ata.

Russia is positive in its estimates of the activities by the two countries aimed at decreasing the tensionin the trans-border regions and in the region at large.

For instance, we should mention the recent decision by India and Pakistan to partially withdraw theirtroops from the state borders. At the same time, I am sure that to provide for further stabilization, theabiding of all commitments by the parties is necessary.

My opinion is that in this case it is not only important that Islamabad would cut the ways of infiltrationof militants into Kashmir through the control line to the State of Jammu and Kashmir but would also increaseits work to liquidate the whole terrorist infrastructure acting in this region.

In the course of our discussions we have in detail discussed the state of our bilateral ties. In the firstinstance, of special importance in this field is the questions of trade and economic cooperation and in thevery first instance the more active development of prospect and future-oriented joint programmes and projects.

A full-scale and long-term work has already been launched in the power, energy and oil and gas as well asin a number of other fields. By that I mean the joint construction of the nuclear power station in Kudankulamas well as the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons at the shelf of the Bengal gulf and the jointparticipation in the Sakhalin-I project.

We are intending to develop and enhance our interaction our high technology and science-consuming fields.The military and technical cooperation is acquiring new quality. Today, it comprises not only the supply toIndia of the modern Russian arms and equipment but also the joint research as well as the development ofprojects.

We have also the development of the business infrastructure including the inter-bank cooperation on ouragenda and with a special attention to the inter-regional cooperation.

In our joint declaration on strengthening and developing economic and scientific and technologicalcooperation, we have outlined a number of other topics which are to be resolved. I think that we contain greatpotential for the successful implementation of all our arrangements and agreements.

Thank you.

Ms. Veronica Vaskaboynikava, ITAR-TASS: My question is addressed to the two leaders. Can we say that the relations between Russia and India are an example of the strategic development relations?

Atal Behari Vajpayee: We can say that our relations in strategic cooperation are exemplary. We wish that other countries also cooperate like this and progress together.

Vladimir Putin: If you have mentioned then, in my statement to the press I have noted that in many aspects our positions and attitudes with India practically coincide. This is truly so and this happened by no accident. This is based on the coincidence and closeness of position on the key issues as well as on the closeness of our national interests.

It is the understanding of such aspects that brought us to our current position. We are highly satisfiedby the state of our relations with India and are also convinced in the bright future of our relations. In thisregard we can say that the relations between India and Russia completely correspond to the notion of strategiccooperation.

Mr Mohan Narayan, Press Trust of India: This question is addressed to President Putin. You have recently voiced concern over the danger of Pakistan’sweapons of mass destruction falling into terrorist hands, and also shared India’s concerns onPakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and on its failure to dismantle terroristinfrastructure in that country. What concrete steps Russia, as part of the international community, plans totake to make Pakistan give up cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy?

Vladimir Putin: We really think that there is a problem to which we all should react. And this danger is called the danger ofthe spreading and proliferation of mass-destruction means and the possibility of use of such means byterrorists. If looking at this question from the perspective proposed by you I would answer it in thefollowing way.

First of all we should be introducing into the international public opinion the understanding of thepresence of such a threat.

Second point is that we should be strengthening the international nonproliferation mechanism in the fieldof mass-destruction weapons.

The third aspect is that everything should be done in order to settle all the disputes including thedispute between India and Pakistan by peaceful means.

The fourth point is that a system of international safeguards should be provided especially in the field ofmass-destruction weapons. This would provide for the basis in the resolution of the problem you havementioned.

Andrei Rayot, Gazette: Distinguished Prime Minister, distinguished President, what in your opinion should be done to bring thetrade and economic relations between the two countries to the level which would match the high level ofdiplomatic and political relations between the two countries?

Atal Behari Vajpayee: We want to take our trade and economic relations to the same level as that of our political relations. The present state is not a satisfactory one. Nobody can feel happy about this level of trade between our two big countries. In the documents that we have signed today, we have outlined as to how we can increase our trade, how we can work together in third countries, how we can progress by making a joint plan of action, how we can increase our trade basket by including new products in that. We have made many such suggestions to develop our bilateral trade.

Vladimir Putin: I endorse what Mr. Prime Minister said when estimating the level of our trade and economic relations. In practical terms we should be following along several tracks.

First is to improve the infrastructure of business. To this belongs the development of communication,transport, financial infrastructure and information. We should be going into deeper relations in investments,in joint production of commodities as well as in more interaction in science-consuming fields. This is exactlywhat we are discussing today. And my point of view is that we have reached understanding concerning with theprospects and future-oriented fields of our relations from both sides.

Ms. Jyoti Malhotra, The Indian Express: My question is addressed to the Russian President, Mr. Putin.

Your Excellency, you know that to sustain India’s growth it needs a large and a plentiful supply of cleanenergy. Nuclear energy is both clean and environment-friendly. Would Russia be willing to further cooperatewith India on nuclear energy, civilian nuclear energy? Would you, for example, be willing to supply additionalcivilian nuclear reactors, as you are already doing at Kudankulam? Did you discuss this in your meetings todaywith the Indian side? Would you suggest that the international community also do so? Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: First of all, I agree with your estimates of the prospects and the future for the nuclear energy.

Second point is that we have in detail discussed our cooperation in this field.

Third is that we do work with India in this field and are successful in that.

Fourth point is that we work within the framework of international rules and obligations and arecontinuing to abide to the obligations we have undertaken.

We also think that all the rules and regulations require improvement including this sphere also. Thefinal point is that we are ready, we are prepared, and want to develop our relations with India including innuclear field.