Sharma For Closer Ties With Europe Economic Ties With Europe:

India is willing to actively participate in the new economic environment emerging in Europe and is of the firm opinion that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has not lost its relevance in the post Cold War era.

These views were expressed by President Shanker Dayal Sharma in interviews published in Polish newspapers `Rzecz Pospolita and `Gazeta Wyborcza coinciding with his state visit to Poland.

Sharma told Pospolita that with the democratic process gathering momentum, We see a resurgent Europe in which new and creative energies have encouraged the spread of democratic structures.

State control has been replaced by market-oriented economies. Of particular importance is the emerging economic integration of Europe, a process in which Poland would play an important role, Sharma said.

 

The President noted Asia too is resurgent and immense opportunities for partnership between the two contients have arisen.

Together, India and Poland could build upon the communities of democratic structures and market-oriented economies for mutual benefit as also for global progress and prosperity. Sharma responded to questions relating to Indias stand on the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) and the emerging situation in Jammu & Kashmir. Sharma said India continued to keep its doors open for a dialogue with our neighbour despite constant interference in our internal affairs, provocations and abetment from across the border. India remained committed to a peaceful resolution of the issues on the basis of bilateral negotiations as envisaged in the Simla Agreement of 1972, he said. We are opposed to internationalising the issue when there is already a clear ground for solution.

Indias opposition to the CTBT would not affect its bilateral relations with the super powers, Sharma said. External affairs minister I K Gujral recently met the foreign ministers of both the US and Russia and this point had been specifically addressed and clarified in these discussions. He reiterated that Indias position is based on principle. It is not directed against any country. On the process of economic reforms in India, the President said the government has progressively introduced further measures to consolidate and extend the reforms.

The common minimum programme of the United Front government has underlined its commitment to taking forward the process of the economic reforms at a steady and carefully callibrated pace. This is to ensure that the reforms are consistent both with the current requirements of our developing economy, as well as, our unique socio-economic requirements and conditions and the parameters of global economic interchange, Sharma said.

In the interview to Wyborcza, Sharma said easing of superpower confrontation is certainly a welcome development which has reduced the risk of nuclear war.

It has, however, not reduced the risk of regional conflict or alleviated threat to security and stability arising out of international terrorism, fundamentalism or claims to particularism on grounds of ethnicity or religion. Nor has the end of cold war contributed any substantial or meaningful way to the basic problem of poverty alleviation and economic development.

The president said with a membership of 113 countries, NAM constitutes a significant grouping whose decisions have an important bearing on the entire decision- making process of the United Nations and in the world community as a whole.

The time has come for NAM to build up greater solidarity and unity of purpose, so that it can successfully meet the new challenges of the 21st century, he said.

The economic reforms in India were necessary as we must keep pace with the developments in the economic environment throughout the world. We cannot lag behind when the world is moving ahead rapidly, Sharma told Wyborcza.

The President explained that democracy does not mean inflexibility and rigidity.

Referring to the socialist pattern of society that India had been following after independence, he said that at one time it was necessary to follow a certain path. But later, economic reforms and restructuring was necessary to provide a fresh impetus to the process of economic growth and development.

Sharma said with its vast pool of technically trained manpower, India needs to participate in global developments, particularly in science and technology. Interaction with the world economy was necessary, the President said.