Ansari heads home after 5-day trip to Hungary, Algeria

Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for home after concluding his five-day trip to Hungary and Algeria during which he held discussions with the leaderships of the two countries on strengthening bilateral ties.
Ansari held talks with Hungary's President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other top leaders as both the countries agreed on the need for elimination of the menace of terrorism and sought a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat.
India and Hungary also signed two MoUs, including one on water management, during the three-day trip to the central European country.

The Hungarian Prime Minister had said his country set up a working group on technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence production for mutual benefits.
The Vice-President expressed India's appreciation for the support extended by Hungary to India's membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime and for its Nuclear Suppliers Group membership bid.
During his two-day visit to Algeria, Ansari held wide- ranging discussions with Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra and stressed on taking the India-Algeria ties to a new level and to "rejuvenate" the bilateral relations, officials said.

Ansari also met President of Algerian National People's Assembly Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa and President of Council of Nations Abdelkader Bensalah and discussed with them various issues of mutual interest.

Other issues like anti-terror cooperation between India and Algeria also figured in the meetings the Vice President had with the Algerian leadership.
India is keen to join hands with Algeria to explore the possibilities of setting up a multi-billion dollar fertiliser project, bearing in mind the phosphatic reserves available in the North African country which is estimated to be more than 5 billion tonnes.
A preliminary meeting on the issue was held here between Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Mansukh L Mandaviya and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb and if the discussions lead to setting up of a joint venture mega fertiliser company in Algeria, the price of fertiliser in India is expected to come down along with the subsidy burden of the government with regard to fertiliser. Mandaviya is accompanying the Vice President.