Annual Report 1985-86
CONTENTS / Introduction |
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INTRODUCTION
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India's traditional foreign policy of Non-alignment, peace and
friendship with all countries, particularly its neighbours, was
pursued with renewed vigour during the year despite pre-
occupation with such important internal developments as the
Punjab and Assam accords. We have welcomed and encouraged every
sign of improvement in the international political climate, both
globally and regionally. On the crucial global issue of
disarmament, the resumption of a dialogue at the Summit level
between the USA and USSR, provided it is followed by meaningful
measures, could lead to a halt and reversal of the disturbing
trend of the last few years towards a new Cold War. In South
Asia, the adoption by the Dhaka Summit of a Declaration and a
Charter launching the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation has provided an institutional framework for regional
cooperation among the countries of the sub-continent.
The recognition at the Geneva Summit between US President
Reagan and Soviet Party Leader Gorbachev that "a nuclear war
cannot be won and must never be fought", is an acknowledgement of
the strong desire of world public opinion of the need to curb the
arms race and acknowledgement of the primary responsibility of
the nuclear powers to take meaningful steps towards disarmament.
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in his address to the 40th
Anniversary Commemorative Session of the United Nations in New
York had stressed "the need to cure the world of the insanity of
the nuclear militarism and let man's creative genius be enlisted
on behalf of enrichment and not destruction." He reiterated the
objectives of the Delhi Declaration issued by the Six Nation
Summit in January 1985 and joined the leaders of Argentina,
Greece, Mexico, Sweden and Tanzania in urging, a twelve-month
suspension of all nuclear weapon tests, offering facilities for
the process of verification. His meetings with the US and Soviet
leaders provided an occasion to re-emphasise the importance India
attaches to disarmament, both as a long-standing objective of our
foreign policy and as one of the main aims of the Non-aligned
Movement. It is, therefore, a source of some satisfaction that
the Soviet Union has extended by three months its offer of a
moratorium on tests and also put forward proposals, to which the
US side has responded, for the limitation, reduction and ultimate
elimination of nuclear weapons under a time bound programme.
The Prime Minister took particularly active steps to establish
greater understanding with the leaders of other South Asian
countries. He availed of every opportunity to meet with his South
Asian counterparts and this has set the stage for improving the
climate of bilateral relations with each country.
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Four meetings with President Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan, led to
his visit to New Delhi on December 17, in which both sides
announced that they would not attack each other's nuclear
facilities. They decided on an immediate programme of bilateral
meetings for removing obstacles to the growth of effective
cooperation. During his meetings with President Zia, the Prime
Minister reiterated India's continuing concern regarding
Pakistan's nuclear programme and the assistance that continued to
be provided to Sikh extremists from across the border, despite
high level assurances to the contrary. In pursuance of decisions
taken by President Zia and our Prime Minister at their meeting on
17th December, our Finance Minister visited Pakistan in January
and held talks for expanding economic and commerical cooperation.
The Defence Secretaries of both sides met to discuss the
situation in the Siachen Glacier area. The Foreign Secretaries
also held discussions on a comprehensive draft of a treaty of
agreement for building lasting peace, friendship and cooperation.
However, differences on some important aspects persist.
The Prime Minister held discussions with President Ershad of
Bangladesh at the time of the Commonwealth Heads of Government
meeting in Nassau, the Bahamas. It was decided that the
Irrigation Ministers of the two countries should meet to discuss
an approach to the solution of the long-standing problem of
shortages in the Ganga. The visit of the Bangladesh Irrigation
Minister to New Delhi in November resulted in a Memorandum of
Understanding being signed with our Minister for Water Resources,
Shri B. Shankaranand to initiate a joint study of the available
water resources common to both countries to enable them to find a
solution to the problem of augmenting the waters of the Ganga at
Farakka. The Memorandum provided, during the three years period
of its validity, for a sharing arrangement of the Ganga waters at
Farakka on the same terms as the previous Memorandum of
Understanding signed in 1982. The Prime Minister met President
Ershad again in December at the time of the SAARC Summit. He had
earlier met with him in June when he flew to Dhaka, accompanied
by President Jayewardene of Sri Lanka, to express sympathy
following the cyclone that ravaged the coast of Bangladesh in May
1985. On both these occasions India's desire to improve the
quality of the bilateral relationship was conveyed. Our concern
over the problem of continued illegal immigration from Bangladesh
into India has also been conveyed to the Bangladesh authorities
at appropriate levels.
The unresolved ethnic problem of Sri Lanka and mounting
reports of killings of Tamils there, continue to be a source of
deep concern. Contacts have been maintained at the highest level
to assist in finding an amicable solution. The Sri Lankan
Government have been left in no doubt, that, in our view,
attempts to force a military solution of this issue cannot
succeed. These attempts have resulted in the influx of refugees
from Sri Lanka increasing to the figure of 124,000. A political
solution that will enable the refugees to return to their homes
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with dignity and in safety can alone hold out any prospect of
resolving the internal crisis in Sri Lanka.
India's cooperation with Nepal and Bhutan have continued to
grow steadily. H.M. the King of Nepal held wide-ranging
discussions during his visit to Delhi in September. India's
assistance for developmental projects in Nepal has been
appreciated. The Treaty of Transit between the two countries,
which provides for Nepal's access to the sea through India, was
extended till March 1989. H.M. the King of Bhutan visited Delhi
in February 1985, and our Prime Minister paid a return visit to
Thimpu in September. India continued to extend substantial
assistance to Bhutan for its all-round development.
Relations with Maldives and with Burma were also strengthened
during the year, as marked by the visit of the Maldivian
President, Mr. Gayoom in February 1985, and the recent visit of
our Prime Minister to Male and the visit of the then Minister of
State for External Affairs, Shri Khursheed Alam Khan, to Rangoon.
India has played an active role in the promotion of South
Asian Regional Cooperation from its inception. The first South
Asian Summit was held in Dhaka in December, which launched the
fullfeldged South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC). The Charter of SAARC provides for an annual meeting of
the Heads of State and Government and a six-monthly meeting of a
Council of Ministers, the Organisation's highest policy making
body. It has also been decided to set up a permanent Secretariat
and the Foreign Ministers are to go into the details regarding
its location, structure, financing and functions. Ministerial
meetings are to be convened in 1986 to discuss respectively
women's participation in SAARC activities and to coordinate the
stands of SAARC members in the ongoing discussions on the New
International Economic Order. The Second Summit meeting is
scheduled to be held in Delhi in November 1986.
India's bilateral relations with Afghanistan continued to
improve during the year and the Seventh Session of the Indo-
Afghan Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Technical
Cooperation was held in Delhi at Ministerial level in August.
India supports a political settlement in Afghanistan based on
non-interfernce and non-intervention in Afghan affairs and one
that would take into account the legitimate interests of all the
countries concerned.
India viewed with disquiet the continuing augmentation of the
military presence of the great powers in the Indian Ocean and
continued to work bilaterally and with the other Non-aligned
states to counter this trend. India hopes that the littoral
states would not align themselves with the great powers or offer
facilities which would invite countervailing reaction. We are
deeply concerned that, despite the 1971 UN Declaration which
seeks to transform the Indian Ocean into a Zone of Peace, great
power rivalry in this region has been intensified by attempts to
involve littoral and hinterland states in strategic
configurations involving outside powers and by the
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development of new command structures which tengender a further
arms build-up and provide an interventionist capability of
external forces.
With the countries of South East Asia, India's relations have
been strengthened. There are increasing signs of awareness among
the ASEAN countries that the differing perceptions in regard to
Kampuchea should not come in the way of improving the bilateral
relationship with each of them. This followed the visit of an
ASEAN delegation, comprising representatives of Malaysia,
Singapore and Brunei, and was confirmed during the stop-over of
President Socharto in New Delhi and the visits of the Foreign
Ministers of Thailand and Malaysia to our country. These visits
provided opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation
and promoting understanding on regional and international issues.
With the countries of Indo-China, relations have grown
steadily as was marked by the Prime Minister's visit to Hanoi and
the visit of the Secretary-General of the Communist Party of
Vietnam, Le Duan to New Delhi. The posthumous Award of the Gold
Star Order-the highest Vietnamese decoration--to Smt. Indira
Gandhi was not only a personal tribute to an outstanding fighter
for peace and freedom, but also indicated Vietnamese regard for
our country. Exchanges in the economic field are on the increase
with both Vietnam and Laos and medical supplies from India have
been appreciated in Kampuchea.
India continues to make efforts to improve relations with the
People's Republic of China, reiterating that genuine
normalisation could be achieved only through a just and
satisfactory solution to the question of the boundary. The
meeting between the Prime Minister and the Chinese Premier Zhao
Ziyang in New York provided an occasion to stress the importance
of a settlement of this issue and set the stage for the sixth
round of official level talks, during which each side put forward
its respective position. Both delegations also exchanged views on
the international situation. A trade protocol was signed in
November envisaging an increased trade turnover between the two
countries in 1986.
The Prime Minister's visit to Tokyo marked a further step in
the friendly relations with Japan. An Agreement on Cooperation in
the field of Science and Technology, which provides for the
setting up of a Joint Committee, was concluded. To bring the
peoples of Japan and India closer to each other, proposed
Festival of India in Japan in 1987-88 and the Japan Week in India
would provide the necessary impetus. The exchanges between the
various circles of the industry and trade of the two countries,
both private and public, would help the already growing
cooperation between the two countries in the field of India's
industrialisation and technology transfer.
The relations between India and the two Koreas and Mongoli
have continued to be marked by friendly exchange of visits at
Various levels.
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The relations with Australia and New Zealand have been further
strengthened. The Australian Foreign Minister came to New Delhi
and the official level talks held in Australia enabled the two
countries to exchange their views on international issues. New
Zealand has re-established its Mission in New Delhi. Prime
Minister David Lange visited India in April 1985 and held talks
with our Prime Minister. Secretary (East)'s visits to a number of
countries in the region promoted exchange of views at the
official level.
Consistent with out traditional and age-old ties with the Arab
world, the year under review saw a continuous exchange of visits
between Indian and Arab leaders. The Prime Minister visited Egypt
and Algeria in June 1985 and it is hoped that there would be a
significant increase in the cooperation between India and Algeria
in all fields, especially commercial and industrial. The Prime
Minister paid his first official visit to Oman on 17-18 November
1985, on the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of Accession to the
Throne by Sultan Qaboos. The visit to the United Arab Emirates by
the former Minister of External Affairs, Shri Khursheed Alam
Khan, and the visit by the External Affairs Minister, Shri Bali
Ram Bhagat, to Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain helped to boost greater
economic and trade exchanges between India and these countries
besides enhancing appreciation of each other's points of view.
Meetings of the various Joint Commissions set up by India with
countries of West Asia and the Gulf provided an opportunity for
discussion of bilateral trade and economic relations which held
out promise of greater cooperation in the coming years. Every
effort was made by India to expand the scope of commercial,
economic and industrial cooperation with the Gulf countries. A
Labour Agreement was signed between India and Qatar in April 1985
and it is hoped that this agreement could become a model for
similar agreements to regularise the conditions of employment of
Indian workers in the Gulf.
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India's support to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian
people remained steadfast. We helped in convening the meeting of
the Non-aligned Committee on Palestine which recommended that an
International Peace Conference under the aegis of the United
Nations offered the best path to the attainment and exercise of
the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and to a
comprehensive and just peace in West Asia. We expressed our
distress at the Israeli bombing of the PLO headquarters in Tunis.
India hopes that peace and stability will be restored in
Lebanon. India stands for a strong, united and Non-aligned
Lebanon. India was disappointed at the Moroccan Government's
decision to break off diplomatic relations with India following
our recognition of the Saharwi Arab Democratic Republic. India,
on its part, made every effort to explain its position to Morocco
before announcing the recognition, which was a principled one.
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The tragic conflict between Iran and Iraq entered its sixth
year, despite all efforts, including our own, to bring it to an
end.
India continued its policy of strengthening its relations with
the African countries, South of Sahara in all fields-political,
economic, cultural and technical. During April 1985, an Extra-
ordinary Ministerial meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau was
held on Namibia and during this meeting India announced its
decision to accord full diplomatic status to the SWAPO
representative in India. In accordance with India's long held
policy of total opposition to apartheid, India took every
opportunity to condemn the recialist policies of South Africa and
called for implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution
No. 435 calling for independence of Namibia. During the
Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting held in Nassau in
October 1985, India played a leading role in achieving the
consensus among the commonwealth members for devising a time-
bound programme of action against South Africa.
India did its best to help the drought-affected countries of
Africa and 100,000 tonnes of wheat was donated to Ethiopia,
Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania. In addition, India announced
a contribution of Rs. 12 crores to the OAU's Special Emergency
Fund for Drought and Famine in Africa.
The passing away of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Governor-
General of Mauritius, in December was deeply mourned in India.
The Vice-President, Shri Venkataraman, accompanied by Shri A.P.
Sharma and Shri G.S. Dhillon attended the funeral. The
traditional close relations with Mauritius were strengthened
through the visits of Prime Minister Jugnauth and the Lok Sabha
Speaker, Dr. Balram Jakhar.
India's relations with the Soviet Union and the other East
European countries continued to grow. The prime Minister's visits
to the Soviet Union provided an opportunity to review Indo-Soviet
relations at the highest level. This led to the signing of
important Agreements on Economic, Technical and Scientific
Cooperation and on Soviet participation in India's industrial
projects. Trade between the two countries is expected to almost
double over the next five years as against the preceding five
years. The Festival of India and the Festival of Soviet Culture
proposed for 1987 will provide grater understanding of the two
countries' cultural traditions among the peoples of the two
countries. There was a similar development of relations between
India and other East European countries. The Vice-President, Shri
Venkataraman paid an official visit to Bulgaria, the German
Democratic Republic and Yugoslavia in November 1985. The Chairman
of the Council of Ministers of Poland, General jaruzelski paid an
official visit to new Delhi during the year. During the visit of
the Hungarian Deputy Premier Faluvegi to India in October, a
Protocol was signed for cooperation in Science and Technology
with Hungary. Joint Commission meetings were held during the year
with East Germany, Poland and Romania to increase the level of
cooperation in the fields of science and technology as well as in
the fields of economy and trade.
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The West European countries have evinced increasing interest
in trade and economic relations with India as a result of our
liberalised import policies and our quest for uptodate technology
to modernise the economy. A spate of visits by a number of
delegations at the highest level from West European countries is
a testimony to the new trend. The pacifist movement which is
developing in West European countries has also attracted them to
India which has given the lead in the call for peace and
disarmament. The Prime Minister's visit to some of the West
European countries, namely, Britain, France and Holland and the
visits to India by the British Prime Minister, the Prime
Ministers of Sweden and Greece, and H.M. the Queen of the
Netherlands, is indicative of this trend of closer relations
between India and West Europe. India is also happy to have
received His Holiness The Pope. The Festival of India, held in
Paris, has given a new awareness to the people of France of
India's rich cultural heritage and the potential of its economy.
The Prime Minister's meetings with the U.S. President first in
June 1985 in Washington and then in October in New York, helped
in obtaining greater appreciation by the USA of India's policies
and perspectives. The Prime Minister was accorded the privilege
of addressing the U.S. Congress. During his stay in Washington he
also formally inaugurated the massive Festival of India in the
USA, which will continue till the end of 1986. Following the
visit, finalisation of procedures for implementing the Memorandum
of Understanding on the transfer of high technology is expected
to open new avenues for Indo-US cooperation. India has, however,
brought home to the USA its concern over the supply of
sophisticated weapons to Pakistan as well as over the efforts
being made by that country to acquire a nuclear capability.
The Cmmonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Nassau gave an
opportunity to the Prime Minister to discuss matters of mutual
interest with the Prime Minister of Canada. Further discussions
took place when the Canadian Foreign Minister visited New Delhi
in November 1985.
Relations with some of the countries of Western Europe and
North America were complicated by the indulgent attitude adopted
by some governments towards anti-Indian disruptive elements
living there. This matter has been taken up persistently with the
governments concerned and we believe that there is now a better
appreciation of the dangers of terroristic activity against India
in these countries. The vast majority of the Indian communities
in these countries reacted very favourably to the Punjab and
Assam accords.
A number of important visits between India and Latin American
and Caribbean countries helped to enhance the relationship
between India and these countries. Note-worthy in these exchanges
were the visits of the Presidents of Argentina and Mexico and the
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago to India and the visit of
our Prime Minister to Cuba. Agreements on economic, scientific,
technical and cultural cooperation were signed between India and
these countries. The Cuban award of their highest decoration to
the late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, posthumously, was
indicative of the high
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regard which Cuba has for India and the contribution of Smt.
Indira Gandhi towards world peace. Another important development
between India and Cuba was the signing of an agreement for
cooperation on the utilisation of atomic energy for peaceful
purposes. India was greatly distressed at the loss of life and
property in Mexico and Colombia on account of natural disasters.
India expressed deep concern at the continued violence in
Central America, particularly Nicaragua. We expressed our
continued support for the efforts of the Contadora Group to work
out an Act for Peace in the region which would defuse tensions.
We also welcomed the formation of the "Support Group" comprising
Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay.
The world economy regrettably continues to be in a state of
crisis. While both developed and developing countries have faced
considerable hardships, the real burden has been borne by the
latter. The developing countries have been badly hit by the
decreasing global liquidity, hardening conditionality of the
international financial institutions coupled with depressed
prices of their commodities for export. Increased protectionism
by the developed countries has compounded the problem. India,
with other Non-aligned countries, sought in a number of ways to
reverse this trend and to strengthen international economic
cooperation with, however, little success. The proposed
International Conference on Money and Finance for Development
with universal participation is nowhere near realization. The
Bonn Conference of developed countries, while paying lip-service
to North-South interdependence, took no concrete steps which
could be of any help to the developing countries. IDA VII found
no mention. In view of the inadequate response of the developed
countries, it was only right that increasing attention was paid
to greater cooperation among the developing countries themselves,
both among the Group of 77 and the Non-aligned Movement. India's
keenness to promote cooperation with the countries of Asia and
Africa has found expression in the Indian Technical and Economic
Cooperation Programme (ITEC) which covers 60 countries and has an
enhanced outlay of Rs. 9 crores in 1985-86 as against Rs. 4.46
lakhs previously.
The virtual standstill in international economic negotiations
in UN fora continued in 1985. The Western industrialised
countries, particularly the United States, remained unwilling to
enter into serious negotiations in the UN and the North-South
dialogue is being increasingly confined to the specialised
economic fora like GATT, IMF and the World Bank. They tended to
use the United Nations only as a forum for general discussion and
debate but not for serious negotiations or decision. Increasingly
evident also is the desire of major industrialised countries to
reach agreements on far-reaching issues only among themselves
without invoking the multilateral system. Because of their
serious economic problems, many developing countries have come
under pressure from developed countries.
Partly in order to revitalize the dialogue on important
international economic issues in the United Nations, India along
with some other developing countries called for
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a discussion on the inter-related issues of money, finance, debt,
trade, resource flows and development, to examine international
cooperation in these vital areas in a coherent and integrated
manner. This became the theme for special focus during the
meetings of the Economic and Social Council. The discussion on
this broad range of areas was continued during the exercise on
the review and appraisal of the International Development
Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade. India
worked closely with the Chairman of the Group of 77 and the
Chairman of the Committee to reach an agreed consensus conclusion
of this important exercise. Such a positive outcome had seemed
doubtful during the two years of protracted negotiations on this
issue and India was encouraged at this development. Intensive
efforts also got underway within the Group of 77 to implement the
Caracas Programme of Action. One of the few important initiatives
in which progress has been made, is the establishment of a global
system of trade preferences for which negotiations have begun.
Both independently and as Chairman of the Non-aligned
Movement, India repeatedly drew attention to the persistence of
economic distress among large sections of mankind, the widening
gap between the developed and developing countries and the close
link between disarmament and development. In pursuance of
decisions taken at the 7th Non-aligned Summit the Movement
focused its efforts towards promotion of Nuclear Disarmament and
International Economic Cooperation. The Prime Minister, as
Chairman of the Movement, addressed a Special Plenary Meeting of
Non-aligned countries at the UN Headquarters on 22nd October. The
Movement remained actively seized of developments in various
parts of the world, particularly Southern Africa, the Middle
East, Central America and Cyprus and the Non-aligned caucus in
the Security Council consisting of Non-aligned members of the
Council in 1985 including India, played an important role in the
deliberations of the Council on these and other issued. It also
took a number of follow-up measures in implementation of the
Action Programme for Economic Cooperation adopted by the 7th
Summit. Following a Regional Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau
held in March 1985 to consider the situation in South Africa, an
Extra-ordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Bureau was held in New
Delhi on the question of Namibia from 19 to 21 April. Besides,
adopting an important Declaration and Programme of Action on
Namibia, the meeting also adopted the plan of action of the
Movement to improve the critical economic situation in Africa.
A large number of people of Indian origin have settled in many
countries all over the world where they have made significant and
wide-ranging contributions to the development of the countries of
their adoption. It is the policy of the Government of India that
persons of Indian origin who have taken the nationality of the
countries of their domicile should identify themselves with the
countries of their adoption. It is being increasingly appreciated
that Indians overseas can provide a bridge of understanding in
the efforts to strengthen friendly relations between India and
the countries of their residence. They have demonstrated their
potential as a reservoir of skill, expertise, technology and
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investment for the benefit both of the countries of their
adoption and the land of their origin. Steps have been taken to
provide them with more efficient consular and information
services.
While a vibrant and resurgent India is taking shape, it is
important to convey a proper appreciation of these developments
to the world at large. The External Publicity Division of the
Ministry has sought to achieve this through increasing use of
more modern methods in both audio-visual and print media. The
advent of the new Government through the ballot box and the
defusing of crisis by the Prime Minister through accordsin Punjab
and Assam and by successfully holding free and democratic
elections in these two States, were widely covered by the media
abroad. The fact that a very large foreign press corps is present
in India, uninterruptedly reporting events, itself speaks for the
strength of our democratic system and is appreciated all over the
world.
India's tenure as Chairman of the Non-aligned Movement is
drawing to a close. During this period of three years, it is a
matter of satisfaction that the Movement has gathered strength
and has been able to secure better and wider attention from the
public and the governments of countries outside it. There is now
also greater appreciation of the principled positions taken by
India on the major issues facing mankind. Neighbouring countries,
in particular, have been assured that they can look to India as a
dependable partner in their development and progress and for
promoting stability and cooperation in South Asia.
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INDIA'S NEIGHBOURS
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The tone of Indian policy towards neighbours was set by the
Prime Minister in his very first broadcast to the nation on 5
January 1985 after assuming office on New Year's Day. To give
practical shape to the Prime Minister's desire for friendlier
relations with the neighbouring countries the Foreign Secretary
visited various capitals of the neighbouring countries. His visit
to Dhaka in April 1985 was a precursor to higher level contacts
between India and Bangladesh.
When a cyclone ravaged the coast of Bangladesh in May 1985 the
Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi accompanied by President
Jayewardene of Sri Lanka who was then visiting New Delhi flew to
Dhaka on 2 June 1985 to convey distress at the calamity that
befell Bangladesh. Moved by the plight of the people of
Bangladesh he promised India's help in rehabilitation of the
people of Bangladesh. In accordance with this assurance the
Government of India undertook the design and construction of
about a hundred cyclone-proof shelters at Urir Char at a cost of
Rs. 1.5 crores.
In October 1985, the Prime Minister met President Ershad in
Nassau, the Bahamas during the Commonwealth Heads of Government
meeting. On this occasion an agreement was reached at the highest
level that the Irrigation Ministers of the two countries should
meet so that an approach to the solution of the long-standing
problem of shortages in the Ganga could be discussed. In
pursuance of this understanding, the Minister for Water
Resources, Shri B. Shankaranand met the Bangladesh Irrigation
Minister in New Delhi in November 1985. At the end of their
discussions, the two countries signed a Memorandum of
Understanding valid for three years, effective from January 1985,
under which they undertook to initiate a joint study of the
available river water resources common to both countries to
enable them to find a solution to the problem of augmenting the
waters of the Ganga at Farakka. Under the same Memorandum, a
sharing arrangement of the Ganga waters at Farakka for a period
of three years was also agreed upon on the same terms as the
previous Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1982. This was a
major breakthrough of an impasse which had persisted since the
last Memorandum of Understanding expired in May 1984.
The Prime Minister met President Ershad again in December 1985
when he visited Dhaka for two days to attend the SAARC summit. On
this occasion too, India's desire to improve the quality of
bilateral relations between the two countries was conveyed to
Bangladesh. The Government of India have been keen to expedite
the implementation of our agreement with Bangladesh to lease the
Tin Bigha corridor.
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Legal difficulties have, however, prevented this. Again, as a
token of good faith, pending a permanent settlement, the
Government of India have offered greater access to Bangladesh to
its Dahagram and Angorpota enclaves.
Some problems, however, persist. Among them is the continuing
flow of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh into India. This has
been discussed between the two governments on a number of
occasions, including at a meeting between the Directors General
of the Border Security Force and the Bangladesh Rifles. We have
conveyed to Bangladesh our intention to stem this flow by
whatever means possible.
About 70 students from Bangladesh avail of scholarships for
studies in India in arts/sciences as well as medicine and
engineering. Training facilities have been extended to Bangladesh
Railway personnel under ITEC. Bangladesh defence personnel are
also undergoing courses at various military training
establishments in India.
Trade with Bangladesh is governed by the 1973 Indo-Bangladesh
Trade Agreement and attempts were made to increase the volume of
bilateral exchanges. A 7-member delegation from Bangladesh
participated in the Sixth India Engineering Trade Fair in
February 1985. A delegation from the Engineering Export Promotion
Council of Bangladesh also visited India and the Association of
Indian Engineering Industries sponsored a visit of Indian
industries to Bangladesh.
An Indian Book Fair was held at Dhaka and at Rajshahi and a
Bangladesh Book Fair was organised at New Delhi and Calcutta.
The unresolved ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka continues to be a
source of great concern to the Government of India. The
escalation of violence and large scale killings of Tamil
civilians caused great concern throughout India. The
deteriorating situation in the Northern and Eastern provinces in
Sri Lanka had direct repercussions on India, most notably through
the massive influx of refugees to our shores. The total number of
refugees from Sri Lanka in India now stands at over 124,000.
Their presence poses socio-economic burdens and has added to the
strength of Indian sentiments in regard to the situation in Sri
Lanka. Aggressive action by Sri Lanka Naval Forces in the Palk
Straits. including attacks on our fishing vessels resulting in
the death of some fishermen, led to increased tension in our
bilateral relations. Strong protests had to be lodged with the
Sri Lanka Government in regard to these actions. A Sri Lanka
naval vessel was apprehended on 11 January 1985 when it was found
well within Indian waters, after it had attacked our fishermen.
The vessel, along with its crew, was later handed over to the Sri
Lanka authorities. Some Indian fishermen who had been under
detention since October 1984, were released by Sri Lanka.
India, however intensified its role of providing good offices
to the two sides to arrive at a political solution. Negotiations
between the Sri Lanka Government and
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the Sri Lanka Tamil groups were arranged with India's assistance,
and while these have not yet brought about a solution, efforts at
bringing the two sides closer through a process of direct and
indirect negotiations are continuing.
Contacts have been maintained with the Sri Lanka Government at
the highest level as part of the ongoing search for a political
solution to the ethnic crisis. The Sri Lanka Minister for
National Security paid a short visit to India in February 1985
and held talks with the Prime Minister and other leaders. The
Foreign Secretary visited Sri Lanka in March 1985 in pursuance of
the Prime Minister's initiative to improve relations with
neighbouring countries. During his meeting with President
Jayewardene and other leaders, the basis for a renewed dialogue
for resolving the Tamil problem was discussed further. The
Foreign Secretary visited Sri Lanka again in the last week of May
to prepare the ground for a two-day visit to India by President
Jayewardene. President Jayewardene had detailed discussions with
the Prime Minister during his stay in New Delhi from 1--3 June
1985.
The meetings between the Prime Minister and the Sri Lanka
President led to a fresh initiative to find a solution to the
crisis. It was agreed that immediate steps should be taken to
defuse the situation and create a proper climate for a political
settlement. The Government of Sri Lanka announced cessation of
hostilities for three months from 18 June 1985. The climate was
thus created for talks which were held in Thimpu, with the
assistance of the Royal Government of Bhutan, in July and August
1985. The Thimpu talks broke down in mid-August because of
renewed violence, and the continuing gap between what the Sri
Lanka Government was prepared to offer by way of a political
solution, and the minimum demand of the Tamils. However,
negotiations were continued indirectly through Indian efforts. It
will be necessary for a climate to be created conducive to the
success of these efforts.
Dr. H. W. Jayewardene, who led the Sri Lankan delegation to
the Thimpu talks, was invited to stop over in Delhi, along with
other Sri Lanka officials, at the end of August 1985. Following
discussions with the Foreign Secretary, the Sri Lanka side
prepared a fresh sct of proposals in a Working Paper, which, it
was agreed, could serve as a basis for further negotiations.
Representatives of the Tamil militant groups and the Tamil United
Liberation Front later met in Delhi to discuss the Working Paper
and matters relating to The maintenance of the ceasefire, beyond
the 3-month period. The ceasefire was further extended, and a
Monitoring Committee was set up by the Sri Lanka Government to
monitor the working of the ceasefire. The proposals put forward
by the Government of Sri Lanka were not, however, found
acceptable to the Tamil groups. In response to the Prime
Minister's suggestion, the TULF later put forward a set of
proposals in December 1985. These proposals were conveyed to the
Government of Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister met President
Jayewardene at the CHOGM at Nassau in October 1985 and at the
SAARC Summit in Dhaka in December 1985. At these meetings, the
Prime Minister conveyed India's concern over the situation in Sri
Lanka while reiterating India's continued willingness to assist
in the quest for a peaceful solution to the crisis.
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The Government of India have also expressed concern over
reports that suggest that Sri Lanka is attempting a military
solution to the crisis. The rapid increase in the Sri Lanka
defence spending and reports of an escalation in the violence
towards the end of the year have been viewed with disquiet. The
Government of India are seriously concerned at the activities of
foreign security and intelligence organisations in Sri Lanka.
There are reports of Israeli intelligence organizations and
British security experts being involved with the Sri Lanka
security forces. The growing military nexus between Pakistan and
Sri Lanka, following President Jayewardene's visit to Pakistan in
April 1985 and the visit of the President of Pakistan to Sri
Lanka in December 1985 is being viewed with some concern.
While the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka remained unresolved, an
important positive development in the bilateral relationship
between the two countries was the agreement in January 1986 to
end once and for all the long-standing problem or statelessness
of persons of Indian origin in Sri Lanka. The Government of India
agrecd to grant citizenship and accept the repatriation of the
balance of 94,000 remaining applicants for Indian citizenship
together with their natural increase. The Sri Lanka Government
for its part undertook to accord citizenship to the remaining
stateless persons whose applications were pending together with
their natural increase. It is hoped that this process will be
completed expeditiously.
India's close association and cooperation-with Maldives is a
continuing one. The Maldivian President, Mr. Gayoom, paid a short
visit to New Delhi in February 1985. During his visit, he met the
President and the Prime Minister. President Gayoom was assured of
our full cooperation in the areas in which Maldives may need
Indian assistance. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi paid a return
visit to Male in February 1986 and assured Maldives of India's
full cooperation in her development.
A regular twice-monthly shipping service from Tuticorin to
Male was started in August 1985 and this service is expected to
boost bilateral trade and supply of essential commodities like
salt, vegetables etc. to Maldives.
India continued to offer training facilities to Maldivian.
officials in different fields such as civil aviation, customs,
hotel management, man-power survey, parliamentary procedures,
etc. tinder the Indian Technical and Econornic Cooperation
Programme.
Maldives has taken art active role in the SAARC. The South
Asian Foreign Secretaries' meeting was held in Male in February
1985. Under the aegis of SAARC, India has also provided the
services of sports coaches for training Maldivian sportsmen.
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India has traditionally close and friendly relations with
Burma. To strengthen these relations the former Minister of State
for External Affairs, Shri Khursheed Alam Khan paid an official
visit to Burma in June 1985 on the invitation of the Burmese
Foreign Minister. Various aspects of bilateral relations were
discussed during the visit. Steps have been taken to increase
India's trade with Burma. A cultural troupe and a team of defence
officials also visited Burma during the year. A special photo
exhibition Priyadarshini on the late Prim Minister was hold at
the Indian Embassy in Rangoon in November 1985. Forty-six Burmese
officials were offered training facilities in India during the
year.
The traditional closeness of Indo-Bhutan relations was
highlighted during the year by two bilateral visits of His
Majesty the King of Bhutan to India in February 1985 and Prime
Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi to Bhutan in September 1985. Both
meetings were marked by a close identity of views and
understanding on matters of mutual interest, reflecting the
relationship of trust and consultations that prevails between our
two countries. The first Summit Conference of South Asian
countries at Dhaka in December 1985 offorod further opportunity
for the two leaders to carry forward the discussions held during
the Prime Minister's visit.
In economic fields cooperation flourished. The largest Indo-
Bhutan Project, the Rs. 240 crores 336 mw Chukha Hydel Project
moved closer towards completion and made satisfactory progress.
The first two turbines are expected to be rotated in the first
half of 1986 when Bhutan will benefit from the power generated
and surplus power will begin to flow into India. India will
purchase all power surplus to Bhutan's requirements. The
infrastructure to permit absorption of this power in India is
nearly ready.
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Now projects were initiated this year, and announced by the
Prime Minister during his visit to Bhutan. They include the
improvement of the electricity distribution systems of Thimpu and
Paro, the River Training Works in Southern Bhutan, the 50 kw
Broadcasting Station in Thimpu and the Mini Hydel Projects in
Eastern Bhutan. Discussions are in progress on the inclusion of
the Nanglam Cement Plant, for which a loan by India to Bhutan is
envisaged.
Indian agencies were involved in several fields in Bhutan in
various projects of differing sizes and locations-in
telecommunications, where a Master Telecommunications Plan is
being prepared for Bhutan, in road building, in geological
exploration, archaeological restoration, irrigation works etc.
These activities form important components in the development of
Bhutanese infrastructure. A grant of Rs. 2 crores to Bhutan has
enabled it to undertake Urban Development Works.
In education, India continued to ofler opportunities for
secondary as well as higher education and for specialised
training in various fields such as defence, police,
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customs, medicine etc. India offered scholarships of upto Rs. 14
lakhs as well as 20 Colombo Plan TCS slots for this purpose.
Forty high-bred heifers have been presented to Bhutan for
development of their animal husbandry programmes. India continued
to supply at Bhutan's request certain essential commodities such
as wheat, rice, sugar, coal, explosives, steel and edible oils at
controlled prices. Indian Experts visited Bhutan to help it set
up a super-market type structure to provide outlets for basic
consumer goods at fair prices, and in the development of
sericulture.
Bhutan's present Development Plan (Fifth) ends in 1987. India
has off,-red finance of Rs. 134 crores (about 50 % of the Plan
outlay) as aid. The process of drawing up Bhutan's next plan
(1987-1992) has been initiated by Bhutan and a team from the
Planning Commission and the Ministry of External Affairs held
talks with their Bhutanese counterparts in August 1985 on the
conceptual basis of the Sixth Plan. The Prime Minister affirmed
during his visit to Bhutan that India will continue to offer
assistance to Bhutan during the forthcoming plan. The quantum and
nature of this assistance will be decided mutually during 1986.
The state of friendship between India and Bhutan drew
appreciation from His Majesty the King of Bhutan in a speech
during the Prime Minister's visit when he stressed the existing
harmony, trust and cooperation between Bhutan and India.
India and Nepal have continued to nurture their traditional
and friendly relations. His Majesty the King of Nepal visited
India in September 1985 and had wide-ranging discussions with the
Prime Minister. The King voiced the feelings of both countries in
saying on his return to Nepal that "We are happy to note that the
growing understanding between Nepal and India which has found a
further fillip...has given us cause for satisfaction." The Prime
Minister met the King again in Dhaka in December 1985 during the
, SAARC Summit, giving both the leaders an opportunity to rtview
the development of relations since the King's visit to India.
These free, frank and cordial exchanges of views between the two
leaders paved the way for further expanding the interaction,
goodwill and consultations on various bilateral matters.
Earlier, in April 1985, pursuant on the Prime Minister's
initiative to improve overall relations with our neighbours, the
Foreign Secretary visited Nepal. A widerange of bilateral matters
were reviewed including the Joint Commission, the avoidance of
double taxation and joint utilisation of water resources. Shri
Shiv Shankar, MP also visited Nepal in July 1985 as the Prime
Minister's Special Envoy, to discuss bilateral relations and
cooperation in projects.
A time-bound programme of four years was agreed in September
1985 by the two Governments to conclude the work of
reconstruction of missing and damaged boundary pillars on the
demarcated Indo-Nepal border.
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India's role as a leading partner in the socio-economic
development of Nepal manifested itself in a number of aid
programmes. Two agreements-one for construction of a Museum
Library-cum-Documentation Centre at the Institute of Forestry in
Hetauda and the other for a Rural Electrincation Project to
electrify 76 villages were signed with Nepal in August 1985.
India's offer of Rs. 50 crores for the construction or 204-
kilometre of the Western Sector of the East-West Highway was
accepted by Nepal and an Agreement was signed in September 1985
to this effect.
Progress was achieved on the proposed Karnali Hydro-electric
Project in Nepal. India and Nepal's joint sponsorship of an
international consultane for preparation of the feasibility
report was accepted by the World Bank. The project has a power
potential of 3600 mw. Further discussions are continuing in the
Committee of Secretaries on Water Resources on other mutually
beneficial projects like the Pancheswar multipurpose project.
The Out-patient Department of Bir Hospital, constructed with
Indian aid was inaugurated by H. M. the King of Nepal in November
1985. The Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare was
present on the occasion. With modern and sophisticated equipment
provided in the Hospital, it has become a premier institution in
the field of health-care in Nepal and is another testimony to the
friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
The 8th Inter-Governmental Committee meeting was held in Delhi
in August 1985 to review the working of Treaties of Trade and of
Transit and the Agreement for Cooperation to control unauthorised
trade. While there was agreement that the Treaties between the
two countries were functioning well it was felt that the terms of
access to each other's markets should be constantly improved.
Both Governments committed themselves to a positive approach in
the promotion of Indo-Nepal joint ventures, which would add a new
dimension to Indo-Nepal economic and commercial relations. The
number of Nepalese products exempted from pro forma procedures
was increased from 14 to 18 and the insurance charges for transit
cargo reduced to 0.25%. The Transit Treaty was extended till
March 1989. A feasibility study for the extension of the railway
terminal from Raxaul to Birganj was prepared and handed over to
Nepal.
The Government of India persevered in its efforts to normalise
relations with Pakistan in keeping with our commitment to the
letter and spirit of the Simla Agreement. A number of bilateral
meetings at various levels were held. Of particular significance
were, the inectings between our Prime Minister and Pakistan's
President Zia-ul-Haq
-8>
in New York (October 23), Muscat (November 19), Dhaka (December
7) and New Delhi (December 17). In these meetings, the Prime
Minister reiterated our concern about Pakistan's assistance to
extremists and its nuclear weapons proaramm. India remains to be
convinced on both these maticrs despite Pakistani claims to the
contrary. Our concern regarding the acquisition of sophisticated
weaponry by Pakistan was conveyed on different occasions. This in
turn adds to the burden of our own defence expenditure and
results in the diversion of resources needed for development.
At his meeting with the President of Pakistan in New Delhi on
17 December 1985, the Prime Minister suggested a programme for
improving relations which was concretised after discussions into
a number of decisions. In view of Pakistani statements that India
was planning to attack their nuclear facility at Kahuta, the Prim
Minister suggested that India and Pakistan should not attack each
other's nuclear facilities. This proposal was accepted and a
formal agreement on it is being worked out. In pursuance of the
decisions taken at the meeting, discussions were held in
Islamabad from 8--10 January 1986 between the Finance Ministers
of the two countries on ways for improving trade and economic
relations, from 10--12 January 1986 between the Defence
Secretaries of the two countries on the Siachen Glacier and from
16--21 January 1986 between the Foreign Secretaries of India and
Pakistan on a comprehensive treaty and other confidence building
measures. However, the meeting of the Indo-Pakistan Joint
Commission scheduled for March 1986 has not yet been held because
Pakistan did not agree to the dates proposed by us for the
meetings of Sub-Commissions I & II which were to precede it.
Since President Zia's visit, there have been unfoitunate
statements and resolutions relating to Kashmir and minorities in
India by responsible Ministers and other Pakistani leaders. The
assurances given by Pakistan in respcct of its assistance to Sikh
extremists have also not been fulfilled.
An earlier meeting of the Indo-Pakistan Joint Commission held
oil 2--4 July 1985 lel to the signing of an Agreement for
Cooperation in Agricultural Research. Other decisions emanating
from the Joint Commission meeting have resulted in the
commencement of through railway booking facilities between the
designated staticlis of the two countries from October 1985 and
exchange of journalists.
The year 1985 was an eventful one for South Asian Regional
Cooperation since the first South Asian Summit was held in Dhaka
on 7-9 December 1985 preceded by preparatory meetings of Foreign
Ministers on 5 December 1985 and Standing Committee of Foreign
Secretaries on 4 December 1985. The tasks before the Summit were
to launch a fullfledged organisation called the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation and to adopt a Charter for
the Association and Declaration. Earlier in
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May 1985 the third meeting of the Foreign Ministers was held in
Thimpu which drew up the draft Charter. The Standing Committee
meeting was also held in Male in February 1985. The third round
of the Technical Committee meeting which was held prior to the
Summit devoted itself to the drawing up of more regional projects
in their respective fields.
India has played an active role in the promotion of South
Asian Regional Cooperation at all levels. Regional Cooperation
was made the theme of the India international Trade Fair held in
New Delhi from 14--27 November 1985. Tbe Trade Fair Authority of
India organised the participation of SARC membercountries in the
Fair and their national pavilions, as well as a successful SARC
cultural festival organised to coincide with the Fair, drew large
crowds.
During the Summit the Heads of State or Government of South
Asian countries adopted a Charter and a Declaration. The Charter
provides for an annual meeting of Heads of State and Government.
The Council of Ministers is the highest policy making body of the
Organisation which will meet twice annually. it has been decided
to set up a permanent Secretariat for the Organisation. The
Foreign Ministers will go into the details of its location,
structure, financing and functions. The other decisions include
tho convening of a Ministerial meeting to discuss women's
participation in SAARC activities in India in 1986, another
Ministerial meeting in Pakistan to coordinate the decisions of
the South Asian countries on the ongoing discussions on New
International Economic Order, the second Summit to be held in
India in November 1986, etc.
The Summit has been hailed as an historic event. The fact that
the Summit took place and that the Heads of State or Government
have decided to meet annually is itself very significant. A
mechanism is now available for regular consultations among the
Heads of State or Government of the South Asian countries.
Moreover, with the creation of the Association, the adoption of
its Charter and the categorical decision to establish the
Secretariat of SAARC, regional cooperation in South Asia has been
put on a firmer institutional footing. Cooperation that has taken
place so far has contributed significantly to the creation of the
infrastructure and engendering of habits for future cooperation.
India's bilateral relations with Afghanistan progressed
satisfactorily during the year. The Seventh Session of the Indo-
Afghan Joint Commission on economic, trade and technical
cooperation was held in New Delhi at the Ministerial level in
August 1985. India would continue to provide assistance to
Afghanistan in several areas including public health, industrial
development and education.
-10>
India exchanged views on Afghanistan with different countries.
India centinues to be opposed to both intervention and
interference in Afghanistan and is of the firm View that there
can be no military solution of the Afghan problem. India stands
for a political settlement inAfghanistan that takes into account
the legitimate interests of countries concerned. ln this context,
India supports the initiative of the UN Secretary General.
Unfortunately, the progress has not been according to
expectations. India hopes that speedier progress will be made in
the forthcoming rounds of Proximity Talks.
The increasing Great Power military presence in the Indian
Ocean and the consequent heightened tension in the area has been
a matter of great concern to India. This militarisation has been
the result of a number of factors stemming basically from the
quest of the Great Powers to enlarge their spheres of influence.
The presence, however, of extraneous powers adversely affects the
security of the region by introducing extra-regional tensions as
well as intensifying those that already exist.
As earlier, India has remained committed to the complete
removal of foreign military presence from the Indian Ocean and
this view has been expressed in our bilateral consultations with
foreign countries, as also through the forum of the Nonaligned
Movement and international organisations. There have been
disturbing reports that the Anglo-American base at Diego Garcia
is to be upgraded and its facilities diversified. India hopes
that littoral and hinterland countries would not align themselves
with the Great Powers or offer them facilities of a military
nature.
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SOUTH-EAST ASIA
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Exchange of high level visits contributed towards
strengthening the friendly relations with countries of South-East
Asia and the Pacific region. Apart from bilateral and
international matters, regional issues were discussed during
these visits, including the Kampuchean issue which entered its
eighth year. Although no solution has been found, there have been
some positive developments. Both the ASEAN nations and the Indo-
China countries have put forward proposals for the holding of
talks. While there are differences on the modalities for
conducting these talks, there now is the underlying common desire
to reach a settlement. Vietnamese leaders assured our Prime
Minister, during his visit to Hanoi on 27 November 1985, that the
Indo-China countries were prepared to open talks with ASEAN
nations to promote a political solution. They re-affirmed the
commitment to withdraw Vietnamese troops from Kampuchea by 1990
or even earlier, in the event of an acceptable solution being
found.
During the year, India had the opportunity to exchange views
with several ASEAN leaders and delegations. We have continued to
emphasise the need for a comprehensive political settlement,
which would lead to a durable peace in the region. We are
maintaining contacts with the concerned parties and continuing to
make such contribution as we can for arriving at a peaceful
solution.
On the bilateral front, we have continued to promote our
relations with the three Indo-China states. We are happy that our
technical assistance and training programmes have been found
useful by them for the development of their human and material
resources. We also helped them at their times of need by rushing
relief supplies of medicines when they were afflicted by natural
calamities.
The visit of the Prime Minister to Hanoi on 27 November 1985,
following as it did, the visit to India of the General Secretary
of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Mr. Le Duan, in September
1984, contributed significantly to the further consolidation and
diversification of relations. The Prime Minister accepted the
Gold StarOrder--the highest Vietnamese decoration, conferred
posthumously on Shrimati
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Indira Gandhi in recognition of her contribution as an
"indefatigable fighter for the cause of National Independence,
Peace, Solidarity and Cooperation amongst Nations, as well as the
growth of the Non-aligned Movement". The India-Vietnam Joint
Commission, which met in Hanoi just prior to the Prime Minister's
visit took some important decisions, which included an agreement,
in principle, for extending a new line of government to
government credit to Vietnam of Rs.15 crores and a Commodity loan
of one lakh tonnes of wheat.
Relations with Loas were further promoted when the Minister of
State in the Ministry of External Affairs, Shri K. R. Narayanan,
visited Vientiane to participate in the 10th anniversary
celebrations (2 December 1985) of the founding of the Lao
People's Democratic Republic. India was the only country outside
the socialist bloc to be invited to the ceremony. In his keynote
address, Mr. Kaysone Phomvihane, General Secretary of the Lao
Revolutionary Party, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers,
expressed appreciation of India's all-round cooperation with Laos
and for her active Chairmanship of the Non-aligned Movement.
India's relations with countries of ASEAN and Pacific region
continued to be warm and friendly. There were exchanges of high
level visits which enabled India and the countries of this region
to have a better understanding of each other's perceptions
contributing to further consolidation of bilateral relations.
Relations between India and the countries of ASEAN have been
historically close but underwent some strain after the
recognition by India of the People's Republic of Kampuchea. There
were hardly any high level contacts between India and ASEAN over
the previous five years but, of late, a definite trend has
emerged which indicates that the ASEAN nations are interested in
bringing bilateral relations back to the old level with the re-
establishment of political dialogue.
There has been an increasing awareness among the ASEAN
countries that Kampuchea should not come in the way of
improvement of bilateral relations. The various visits between
India and the countries of ASEAN region was used as an
opportunity to try to better understand each other's views on the
Kampuchean issue. It was in this context that an ASEAN delegation
consisting of three members from Malaysia, Singapore and
Brunei,led by Ambassador Talala of Malaysia, visited India in
August 1985, to explain ASEAN views on the Kampuchean issue. This
was the first visit to India of a delegation representing ASEAN
as a group, and represented understanding by them of India's
principled position on this question.
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President Soeharto of Indonesia made a stopover in India on 16
November 1985. This gave an opportunity for talks to be held
between the visiting President and Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv
Gandhi. Bilateral relations, international issues of importance
and regional matters were discussed during the visit. The
discussions were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere. As a
result, the existing traditional ties between India and Indonesia
would be further strengthened. The Indonesian Foreign Minister
Prof. Mochtar Kusumaatmadja came to India in April 1985 to attend
the Non-aligned Coordinating Bureau Meeting. Earlier in January
1985, Prof. Kusumaatmadja was in New Delhi for discussions on the
Bandung Conference and delivered a message from President
Soeharto to the Prime Minister.
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India participated in the 30th Anniversary celebrations of the
Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung in April 1985. The then
Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Khursheed Alam Khan
represented India at the celebrations. A message from the Prime
Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi was read during the celebrations
which was warmly received.
The Foreign Minister of Thailand, Air Chief Marshal Siddhi
Savetsilla visited India in March 1985. Exchange of views on
various bilateral, regional and international issues took place
between the two sides in an informal and friendly atmosphere. A
convention on Avoidance of Double Taxation was signed by our
Finance Minister and the visiting dignitary. The visit was
significant as this visit to India by a Thai Foreign Minister was
after several years. The Thai Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Bhitchai
Rattakul visited New Delhi in January 1985. He was received by
the Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi.
In October/November 1985, the Foreign Minister of Malaysia,
Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen paid a visit to India. Talks were held
between the Malaysian Foreign Minister and the External Affairs
Minister over a wide-range of issues covering the bilateral
aspects of relations and international and regional issues.The
discussions were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, full of
mutual understanding and of respect for each other's views.
Shri A. P. Venkateshwaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of
External Affairs visited Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in
August 1985, as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister to discuss
issues pertaining to the venue of the next Non-aligned Summit
with the leaders of these countries. Secretary (East) was
received by President
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Soeharto in Indonesia and by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr.
Mahathir Mohammed in Malaysia. In Singapore, he was received by
the Senior Minister (Prime Minister's office) Mr. S. Rajaratnam.
The Foreign Ministers of the three countries also received him.
During discussions with Foreign Ministry officials, bilateral and
regional topics were extensively covered allowing for a greater
appreciation of each other's point of view and leading to an
understanding that Kampuchea should not come in the way of
improvement of bilateral relations. Secretary (East) had earlier
paid an official visit to Malaysia and the Philippines in April
1985 after attending the Bandung 30th Anniversary celeberations.
While Secretary (East) was in Manila, bilateral consultation were
held between the Foreign Office officials of the two countries.
Following the recent general elections in the Philippines, the
assumption of the office of the President by Mrs. Corazon Aquino
confirmed the triumph of democracy, non-violence and the
supermacy of the popular will in that country. The President and
the Prime Minister sent their greetings to the new President.
After assumption of power by the Labour Government of Prime
Minister David Lange in 1984, there has been a perceptible change
in New Zealand's relations with India. Prime Minister David
Lange,visited India in April 1985 and held talks with the Prime
Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Official level bilateral talks were
also resumed after a gap of eleven years. Shri A. P.
Venkateswaran led a two member delegation to New Zealand to hold
discussions with his counterpart in the New Zealand Foreign
office. Negotiations for an Agreement on Avoidance of Double
Taxation were held with New Zealand in March 1985. The secnd
round of negotiations was held in February 1986.
The President of Nauru, Mr. Hammer De Roburt visited India
twice in January and November 1985. At the talks held during the
latter visit, understanding was reached on the question of
Nauru's investment in the Paradeep Phosphate Ltd.
Opportunity for exchange of views on Indo-Australia bilateral
relations and on international and regional matters came up
auring the visit to India in May 1985 of the Australian Foreign
Minister Mr. Bill Hayden. The talks were resumed once again when
Secretary (East) visited Australia in December 1985.
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Secretary (East) visited Fiji in December 1985 and held talks
with the Fijian Government officials. He was received by the
Governor General, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister
and the Foreign Minister of Fiji. In another significant
development, Fiji announced the accreditation of a Non-Resident
High Commissioner to India. The Permanent Secretary for Foreign
Affairs of Fiji will be the first NonResident High Commissioner.
Negotiations for an Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation
were conducted with Fiji in December. Emergency aid of Rs. 5
lakhs towards cyclone relief was provided to them.
During the year, diplomatic relations were also established
with Kiribati and the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs of
Kiribati will be its first Non-Resident High Commissioner to
India. The High Commissioner of India in Suva is concurrently
accredited to Kiribati.
Trade has come to be an important and significant element in
the promotion of closer relationship with the countries of ASEAN
and the Pacific. It is in this context that the then Minister of
State for Commerce Shri P. A. Sangma visited Malaysia and
Singapore in September 1985. The Thai Commerce Minister visited
India in February 1985. During the visit, a Memorandum of
Understanding creating a Joint Trade Committee was signed. The
Minister of Trade and Industry of Malaysia came to India in
November 1985 and the Minister of Trade from Australia visited
India in October 1985. Ways and means to promote bilateral trade
on a more balanced basis with these countries were discussed
during these visits. For the first time, an officially sponsored
Trade Development Board delegation from Singapore visited India
in April 1985. This visit from Singapore has led to further trade
visits from that country. The Minister of Overseas Trade of New
Zealand is also scheduled to visit India in March 1986.
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EAST ASIA
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Efforts to normalise and improve relations with the People's
Republic of China were continued during 1985. It is our policy
that genuine normalisation of our relations with China can be
achieved only when there is a just and satisfactory settlement of
the boundary question.
Substantive discussions on the India-China boundary question
were initiated during the 6th round of Official-level Talks held
between India and China in New Delhi from 4-11 November 1985.
Adopting a sector by sector approach, both sides explained their
respective positions on the Eastern Sector of the India-China
boundary. It was agreed that further discussions on the boundary
question will take place in Beijing in 1986 at a time mutually
convenient. A programme of exchanges in the fields of culture and
science and technology was finalised during the 6th round of
Talks. Both delegations also exchanged views on the international
situation. A settlement of the long outstanding question of
Indian Embassy property in Beijing was reached.
The 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between India and China was observed by both countries
on 1 April 1985. The Prime Minister of India had a cordial
meeting with the Chinese Premier, Mr. Zhao Ziyang, when the
latter called on the Prime Minister in New York during the 40th
Anniversary celebrations of the United Nations in October 1985.
A Trade Protocol for the year 1986 was signed between India
and China in New Delhi on 23 November 1985. The Protocol
envisages a total trade turnover of 10 to 16 crores U.S. dollars
between the two countries during 1986, in commodities such as
iron-ore, manganese, chrome and shellac, power equipment and
machinery, petroleum products and non-ferrous metals.
The Chinese Communist Party sent a high-powered delegation
headed by Mr. Qian Liren, Head of the International Liaison
Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of
China to participate in the Centenary Celebrations of the
Congress in Bombay in December 1985. This is regarded as an
important step in establishing contacts between the ruling
parties in both the countries.
-17>
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi paid an official visit to Japan
from 28 November to 1 December 1985. The visit, following as it
did, Prime Minister Nakasone's visit to India in May 1984, marked
a new stage in the consolidation of our friendly and cordial
relations with Japan and an important phase in regard to further
development of bilateral relations. The conclusion of an
Agreement between India and Japan on cooperation in the field of
Science and Technology was one of the important high-lights of
the visit. The Agreement provides for the setting up of a Joint
Committee on Science and Technology to draw up an agreed
programme of action. New opportunities have thus been opened for
India and Japan to work together as partners for progress, not
only for their mutual benefit, but also for peace and prosperity
in Asia and in the world.
In his address to the Japanese Diet, the first ever by an
Indian Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi emphasised the need to
enhance cooperation between India and Japan in the economic,
commercial, scientific and technological fields, as well as in
increasing exchanges in the cultural and educational areas to
promote better understanding between the peoples of the two
countries. In this regard, it was agreed to organise a Festival
of India in Japan in 1987-88 and a Japan Week in India. An Indo-
Japan seminar was held in New Delhi in March 1986 to promote
interaction in the field of ideas and to strengthen
understanding.
As a special gesture, Japan announced an additional soft loan
facility of Yen 30 billion (about Rs. 160 crores) for a gas-based
power generation project in Assam. This will be in addition to
the Yen 39.23 billion (Rs. 195 crores) annual pledge made by
Japan in June 1985. Japan also agreed to assist India in setting
up the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Lucknow. The Japanese
Government further expressed its willingness, in principle, to
assist India in the modernisation of vital sectors such as steel,
textiles and railways.
Other high-level visits were exchanged between the two
countries at various levels. A high-powered Indian Economic
Mission led by Shri L. K. Jha, Adviser to the Prime Minister on
Administrative Reforms visited Japan from 11-18 September 1985.
This was a follow-up to the visit earlier made by a Japanese
Economic Mission led by Mr. Goro Koyama in Nov./Dec. 1984. Other
important visits were those of the Minister of State for Science
and Technology, Shri Shivraj Patil (June 1985), Dr. Najma
Heptullah, former Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Shri V. C.
Shukla, IOC President. The Comptroller and Auditor General of
India, Shri T. N. Chaturvedi, participated in an International
Conference at Tokyo. Official level talks between the two Foreign
offices were also held in Tokyo in July 1985.
A number of Indian delegations, official and non-official, in
the economic, commercial and other fields from the Chambers of
Commerce, Export Promotion Councils, public sector undertakings
etc. also visited Japan to study, discuss and explore
possibilities for further expansion of economic and commercial
cooperation. Minerals and
-18>
Metals Trading Corporation and Japan Steel Mills signed an
Agreement in February 1985 for increasing Indian iron-ore exports
from 80 lakh tons to 100 lakh tons a year. India participated in
the World Import Fair in Nagoya and the annual Restaurant and
Food Exhibition in Tokyo.
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In the cultural field, a 14-member Kathakali dance troup, a
20-member Mamta Shankar Ballet troupe and a 15-member youth
delegation visited Japan. Exhibitions of Nand Lal Bose's
paintings and Mithila arts and folk crafts were also held.
In the sports field, a 28-member team of roller skaters, an
Indian contingent of wrestlers, a University team for Kobe
Universiade were some of the groups that visited Japan.
From Japan too, a number of delegations consisting of
parliamentarians, officials and businessmen visited India to
discuss bilateral cooperation and collaboration. The City of
Yokohama marked the 20th anniversary of its sister-city
relationship with Bombay by observing a Bombay Week from 29 April
to 6 May 1985.
Bilateral relations between India and the Republic of Korea
were marked by increasing exchanges in economic and commercial
fields. The former Chief Justice of India, Shri Y. V. Chandrachud
visited the Republic of Korea from 12-17 May 1985, at the
invitation of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of ROK. Shri
T. N. Chaturvedi, Comptroller and Auditor General visited Seoul.
Shri A. P. Venkateswaran, Secretary in the Ministry of External
Affairs led a delegation to Seoul for bilateral consultations in
June 1985. Shri R. P. Khosla, Secretary, Steel, led a delegation
to visit steel plants in South Korea in August 1985. A 14-member
Indian official delegation headed by Shri V. P. Singh, Finance
Minister participated in the annual IBRD/IMF meeting at Seoul. A
delegation from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, All
India Radio, and Doordarshan visited ROK from 19-31 October, to
attend the 22nd General Assembly and Associated meetings of the
Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union.
During the visit in July 1985 of the ROK Foreign Minister Mr.
Won Kyung Lee, India-ROK relations were discussed as also views
exchanged on the major international issues and the situation in
the Korean Peninsula.
A 14-member Korean trade mission sponsored by the Korean Trade
Promotion Corporation explored the possibilities of promoting
Korean exports to India and to establish joint ventures with
India.
The 5th round of India-ROK trade talks were held at Seoul in
November 1985. The ROK agreed to the removal of certain tariff
and non-tariff restrictions on the
-19>
import of some items from India and also to send a buying mission
to India to increase the import of Indian goods. During the
talks, joint ventures including those in third countries were
discussed. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the
State Trading Corporation of India and Daewoo Corporation to
develop trade volume on a planned basis. These exchanges
culminated in the visit of the Prime Minister of the Republic of
Korea to India in March 1986.
In April 1985, the Vice-Premier of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Yong Nam led a delegation on an
official visit to India. He paid a courtesy call on the President
and the Prime Minister and held bilateral talks with the Minister
of State for External Affairs. A delegation led by the DPRK
Minister for Foreign Trade participated in the International
Conference on the Global System of Trade Preferences held in July
1985 in New Delhi. A Workers' Party of Korea delegation, led by
Mr. Kim Bongju, also visited India in August 1985.
The DPRK-India trade talks were held in December 1985 to
explore the possibility of diversifying and extending the two-way
trade, considering the recent decline in trade exchanges between
the two countries.
The Cultural Exchange Programme for 1985-86 was finalised
during the visit of an Indian delegation to the DPRK.
On 24 December 1985, the 30th Anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia was
celebrated. Both India and Mongolia have consistently maintained
warm and friendly ties. Messages emphasising these ties were
exchanged on the occasion between the two Heads of Government and
the Minister of External Affairs of India and the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.
A Parliamentary delegation led by Dr. Balram Jakhar, Speaker
of the Lok Sabha, visited Mongolia in October 1985. A cultural
troupe also visited Mongolia in September 1985.
Mr. D. Yondon, first Deputy Foreign Minister of Mongolia paid
an official visit to India in March 1985. He called on the Prime
Minister. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Mongolia and Secretary
(East) in the Ministry of External Affairs exchanged views on
international situation and on bilateral relations.
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WEST ASIA AND NORTH AFRICA
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India's traditional and deep rooted ties with the Arab States
of West Asia and North Africa and with Iran were further
intensified and strengthened during 1985. In this period, several
high level exchanges took place, the most notable, of course,
being the visits of the Prime Minister to Egypt and Algeria in
June 1985 during which he had wide-ranging discussions with
President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and President Chadli Bendjedid
of Algeria on matters of bilateral and international importance.
During 1985, as in the past, India was active in its support
of the Palestinian people. It was instrumental in the convening
of a meeting of the Non-aligned Committee on Palestine in New
Delhi in April 1985. The Committee recommended that the convening
of an international peace conference under the aegis of the
United Nations offered the best, if not the only path, to the
attainment and exercise of the inahenable rights of the
Palestinian people and to a comprehensive, just and durable peace
in West Asia. India strongly condemned the Israeli bombing of the
PLO Headquarters in Tunis in October 1985 and the Prime Minister
Shri Rajiv Gandhi sent messages of solidarity and support to both
the PLO Chairman and the Tunisian Prime Minister. India also
supported resolutions condemning this attack in the UN Security
Council and in the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Chairman Yasser Arafat visited India twice during the year-first
in April 1985 to attend the Non-aligned Coordinating Bureau
meeting and again in November 1985 to attend the Non-aligned
Youth Conference.
The situation in Lebanon continued to be a matter of concern
to India. India stands for the withdrawal of all foreign forces
from Lebanon, beginning with those of Israel and, in this
context, it reiterated its support for the UN Security Council
resolutions 508 & 509. India hopes that the Lebanonese people
will, in a spirit of national reconciliation, be able to bring
about peace and security in Lebanon. India has always stood for a
strong, united and non-aligned Lebanon.
Indo-Algerian ties are poised to become a model of South-South
cooperation. During 1985, there was a considerable increase in
commercial exchanges between
-21>
the two countries and many possibilities for mutual cooperation
were identified which would enable India to secure several
project contracts in Algeria in the near future. With a view to
enhancing the range and scope of industrial, technical and
commercial cooperation between the two countries, the Algerian
Vice-Minister of Chemical and Petro-Chemical Industries, Mr. Hadj
Haoussine, led a high powered delegation to India in April 1985.
As in 1984, India continued its efforts to improve relations
with Morocco. An Indian delegation led by the then Minister of
State for Commerce, Shri P.A. Sangma, visited Rabat in May 1985
for the Indo-Moroccan Joint Committee meeting which had been set
up under the Indo-Moroccan Trade Agreement of 1981. Subsequently,
during 1985 an Indo-Moroccan Cultural Agreement was signed. In
March 1985 India received the Moroccan Speaker, Mr. Ahmed Osman
and thereafter the Moroccan Minister for Culture, Mr. Mohammed
Benaissa, as Special Envoys of the King. The Prime Minister also
sent a Special Envoy to Morocco in September 1985 with a message
for the King of Morocco in these circumstances, it was
unfortunate that Morocco chose to break off diplomatic relations
with India on 1 October 1985 following India's recognition of the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). It may be mentioned that
India's decision to recognise the SADR was taken only after
extensive consultations with all parties concerned including
Morocco. Moreover, this decision was in tune with India's policy
of supporting freedom struggles and genuine liberation movements
the world over, as also with its policy of being guided by the
decisions taken by the competent regional organisation in this
case the OAU-which admitted the SADR as an active member and of
which the SADR was elected a Vice-President.
Shri Khursheed Alam Khan, former Minister of State for
External Affairs, visited Libya in August 1985 for pre-Luanda
consultations. During the visit there was also a mutually
beneficial exchange of views on a wide-range of bilateral and
international issues. In addition, a Cultural Agreement was also
signed.
The Tunisian Minister for Planning, Mr. Ismail Khelil visited
India in March 1985 in order to identify new areas of economic
and commercial cooperation between the two countries. This visit
has successfully paved the ground for the next meeting of the
Indo-Tunisian Joint Commission.
The first meeting of the Indo-Egyptian Joint Commission was
held in New Delhi in November 1985. The Egyptian Deputy Prime
Minister & Minister of Planning
-22>
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and International Cooperation, Dr. Kamal EI Ganzouri, led his
country's delegation to this meeting. The Joint Commission
identified several measures during the meeting for increasing
industrial, commercial, economic and technical cooperation
between the two countries.
India also maintained close contacts with the countries in the
Gulf region. The Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, made an
official visit to Oman on 17 & 18 November 1985 on the occasion
of the 15th anniversary of the accession to the throne by Sultan
Qaboos bin Said. The visit, soon after the sixth Summit of the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Muscat (Oman), lent further
strength to India's close relations with the Gulf countries.
The former Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri
Khursheed Alam Khan, paid an official visit in May 1985 to the
United Arab Emirates leading the Indian delegation to the Indo-
UAE Joint Commission meeting. The visit further strengthened the
growing bilateial relations between the two countries.
The continuing Iran-Iraq war, which started in September 1980,
was a constant subject of India's attention. Efforts were made
both as a friendly country and as Chairman of NAM to find ways
and means to bring about a peaceful end to the war through
negotiations. When the conflict escalated with the resumption of
attacks on civilian targets by both the countries, our Prime
Minister sent urgent messages to the Presidents of Iran and Iraq
on 13 March 1985 urging an end to the attacks on civilian
population as a first step to be followed by other measures of
de-escalation leading ultimately to cessation of hostilities. He
followed this up with a public appeal on 15 March 1985 andt
hereafter sent the Minister of State for External Affairs as his
Special Emissary to the concerned capitals to achieve the
objective of peace in the region. Unfortunately, the differences
in the respective positions of Iran and Iraq remained too wide
for any effort to succeed. However, India continued to maintain
good and friendly relations with each side and bilateral
cooperation progressed smoothly with both Iran and Iraq.
Heavy fighting erupted in the Peoples Democratic Republic of
Yemen on 13 January 1986 following internal rivalries. President,
Ali Nasser Mohammed was deposed and replaced by Dr. Abu Baker Al-
Attas. There were some 3000 Indian nationals in PDRY. Some 425 of
them were able to reach Djibouti during the fighting and were
evacuated from there to India. Eleven Indian nationals were
killed accidentally during the fighting. The
-23>
Indian Embassy personnel remained at their posts throughout. The
Government of India sought and received assurances from the PDRY
Government regarding safety and security of all Indian nationals
who wished to continue to work there.
India's relations with Saudi Arabia remained on a firm footing
and cooperation in different spheres showed steady progress.
There are an estimated 9.6 lakhs Indian migrant workers in the
Gulf region. A significant step was achieved when the Labour
Minister of Qatar visited India in April 1985 and signed a Labour
Agreement with India. This agreement is the first one signed with
any country in the Gulf and provides for safeguarding the
interests of Indian nationals within the parameters of Indian and
local labour laws. This agreement could provide the basis for
similar agreements with other countries.
The economic recession in the Gulf countries due to the
decline in the price of crude oil has resulted in a sharp
reduction in new job opportunities in the Gulf. While there has
been substantial increase in the number of Indian nationals in
Oman and the Yemen Arab Republic, there has been decrease in
Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. The Indian emigrants in the Gulf are
by and large prosperous and happy. However, considering their
large numbers, problems do arise from time to time. The Indian
Missions continue to provide necessary consular help to them.
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AFRICA (SOUTH OF THE SAHARA)
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AFRICA (SOUTH OF THE SAHARA)
India's relations with African countries South of the Sahara
continued to develop satisfactorily during the year. Both as
Chairman of NAM and bilaterally, India played its role during
1985, in assisting the many countries of Africa suffering from
drought and famine, and in focusing attention on South Africa's
continued illegal occupation of Namibia, as well as the
deteriorating situation within that country. The Pretoria
regime's repression of the majority black population of South
Africa, and the people's resistance to apartheid and struggle for
equal rights, dominated the deliberations of NAM, the UN, and the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Nassau. In all these
meetings, India championed the cause of the oppressed people of
South Africa.
The gift of 100,000 tonnes of wheat to famine-affected African
countries announced in 1984 was shipped in 1985; the recipients
were Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania. In addition,
India announced a contribution of Rs. 12 crores to the OAU's
Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and Famine in
Africa, for the purchase of cereals from India. The outgoing
Acting Secretary-General of the OAU, in his report to the meeting
of the Council of Ministers preceding the 21st OAU Summit in July
1985, expressed happiness at the Government of India leading the
way in regard to the contributions for this Emergency Fund. At
the Extra-ordinary Ministerial meeting of the Non-aligned
Coordinating Bureau in New Delhi in April 1985, which gave its
primary attention to Namibia's freedom struggle, the critical
economic situation in Africa was also considered, and a Plan of
Action was adopted to meet immediate requirements, as well as to
evolve a medium and long-term strategy. India was chosen as the
focal point to monitor this Plan, and to coordinate offers of
assistance. Under this Plan, India will provide technical
expertise for agricultural projects in seven sub-Saharan
countries. Bilaterally, India continued to give material
assistance to the liberation movements in southern Africa,
contributed relief supplies, mostly in the form of medicines, to
countries afflicted by natural calamities, besides providing
scholarships and traineeships to nationals of a number of African
countries. Experts in various fields, particularly in water
management and education, were also deputed to African countries,
as in the past.
-25>
Notable under the head of bilateral assistance during 1985 is
the new government credit of Rs. 5 crores and the EXIM Bank
credit of another Rs. 5 crores committed to Mauritius. An
additional grant of Rs. 50 lakhs to the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital
project, the gifting of 10,000 tonnes of wheat flour and 500
tonnes of pulses, and the annual increase in the number of
scholarships to 100, have also been made available to Mauritius.
These were agreed upon during the visit of the Mauritian Prime
Minister, Mr. Anerood Jugnauth, to New Delhi in April 1985.
During the Third Session of the Indo-Mauritian Joint Commission
in New Delhi in August 1985. India agreed to provide additional
assistance of the approximate value of Rs. 3.2 crores for 23
different projects.
During the NAM Ministerial Coordinating Bureau Meeting in New
Delhi in April 1985, the Prime Minister announced India's
decision to accord full diplomatic status to the SWAPO
Representative in India. During that meeting as well as at the
NAM Ministerial meeting at Luanda and at the UN, India forcefully
reiterated its stand that the "Interim Administration" set up by
the Pretoria regime in Namibia, with the connivance of the
discredited and unrepresentative Multi-Party Conference was
illegal, that the UN Security Council Resolution 435 was the only
basis for a settlement of the issue, that SWAPO was the only
legitimate representative of the Namibian people, and that
extraneous issues, like the withdrawal of Cuban troops from
Angola, should not be linked to the question of the independence
of Namibia. Elimination of apartheid and the establishment of a
non-racial representative government in South Africa, was a
subject which dominated the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting at Nassau in October 1985. India was able to assist in
achieving a consensus among the Commonwealth members for a
Programme of Common Action against Pretoria. India has nominated
Shri Swaran Singh as its representative on the seven-member Group
of Eminent Persons set up during the Meeting, to promote
political dialogue and to monitor the progress of the South
African regime's responses.
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The situation in South Africa and the regime's attempts to sow
dissension among its opponents were discussed in the Indian
Parliament. Both Houses condemned the violence against the people
of Indian origin near Durban and the destruction of institutions
associated with Mahatma Gandhi's stay in South Africa, which had
been instigated by the regime.
In the process of fostering goodwill and cooperation between
India and African countries, India played host to more than a
dozen important visitors and their delegations during the year,
including President Nyerere of Tanzania, Chairman Mengistu
-26>
Haile Mariam of Ethiopia, Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth of
Mauritius, President Sam Nujoma of SWAPO, Foreign Minister
Witness M. Mangwende of Zimbabwe, Defence Minister Ogilvy
Berlouis of Seychelles, Foreign Trade Minister Wollie Chekol and
Industry Minister Hailu Yimenu of Ethiopia, and several Ministers
and senior officials from Mauritius and other countries. Chairman
Mengistu Haile Mariam was accompanied by members of the
Politbureau of the ruling Workers Party as well as by the
Ministers of Industry, Transport and Communications, and Foreign
Affairs. A Memorandum of Understanding for Economic Cooperation
was signed between India and Ethiopia during the visit.
India's Vice-President, accompanied by S/Shri A.P. Sharma and
G.S. Dhillon, MP attended the funeral of Sir Seewoosagur
Ramgoolam, Governor General of Mauritius, who passed away in
December 1985. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Dr. Balram Jakhar
visited Mauritius in May 1985 to attend the 16th African Regional
Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The
Speaker also visited Lome (Togo) in March 1985 to attend the 73rd
Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference. Shri P.A. Sangma, former
Minister of State for Commerce, represented India at the 25th
Independence Anniversary of Madagascar in June 1985. S/Shri P.N.
Sukul and Aziz Quereshi, MPs attended Mozambique's 10th
Independence Anniversary in June 1985. Shri Eduardo Faleiro, MP,
paid a goodwill visit to Cape Verde, Senegal and Ivory Coast in
October 1985. General A.S. Vaidya, the then Chief of the Army
Staff paid a brief visit to Nigeria in July 1985, at the
invitation of his counterpart Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who later
became President, after the change of government in August 1985.
He also visited Botswana at the invitation of the Commander of
Botswana Defence Forces. As a gesture of goodwill, the Indian
Naval Ships "Rajput" and "Shakti" visited Seychelles on its
National Day in June 1985. INS "Shakti", "Godavari", "Taragari"
and "Trishul" also made goodwill visits to Seychelles, Kenya and
Tanzania in November 1985.
The rioting and disorders that followed the coup d'etat in
Uganda in July 1985, that overthrew President Milton Obote,
caused some panic among the Indian community in that country.
Arrangements were made for the temporary evacuation of about 300
Indian nationals to neighbouring Kenya, and those who wished to
come to India were also helped to do so.
Through the efforts of our Mission in Nigeria all the persons
who had been detained in Nigeria after the change of government
at the end of 1983, were released by the new military Government
which came to power in August 1985.
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EUROPE
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Although pre-occupied with immediate concerns, most of the
countries of Western Europe, now restored and prosperous after
World War II, are increasingly seeking once again an active
role, albeit buttressed by the NATO umbrella. With economies that
are highly export dependent, they continue to seek wider world
openings for their trade.
India with its growing economy, an avowed intention to adapt
advanced technologies in several spheres, and a liberalised
import policy has therefore been one of the target countries for
West Europe on commercial interest during the year. The stability
and direction provided by the new Indian leadership, particularly
after the events of 1984, re-affirmed the confidence of these
nations in India as a reliable partner in economic and industrial
exchanges. This has led to several of these advanced countries
coming forward to tap the Indian market with offers of capital
goods, know-how and investment. While the growth of Indian
exports to these countries has recorded some increase our balance
of trade with them continues to be negative, and therefore, of
concern to us. Visiting ministers from West Europe have almost
invariably brought with them large delegations of industrialists
and businessmen interested in joint collaborations with and
investments in India. These contacts, as well as the
strengthening of inter-governmental structures for commercial and
economic cooperation by means of regular official meetings,
should help improve,both the level and content of India's
interaction with Western Europe.
Perhaps more than in any one year in the past decade, this
year has witnessed the largest exchange of visits between India
and Western Europe. Besides the visits of the Prime Ministers of
Greece and Sweden in January 1985 for participation in the Six-
Nation Summit on Nuclear Disarmament, a stop-over visit in April
1985 by the British Prime Minister and a state visit by the Queen
of Netherlands. India was happy to welcome the Pope,the Crown
Prince of Norway, and once again the Prime Ministers of Sweden
and Greece in the first two months of 1986.
The Government of India received with shock the news of the
tragic assassination of Mr. Olaf Palme, the Prime Minister of
Sweden in Stockholm on 28 February, 1986. The Government of India
observed a day's State mourning in honour of the departed Swedish
Leader. Rich tributes were paid to Mr. Palme, in both Houses of
Parliament, which adjourned after observing a two-minute silence.
The Prime Minister made an official visit to France in June
1985 during which, apart from the inauguration of the Festival of
India in Paris, bilateral and international
-28>
issues were discussed in depth. During the discussions with the
British leaders in October 1985 when the Prime Minister visited
London, we conveyed our serious concern to the UK about the
continuing anti-Indian activities of Sikh extremists from their
soil. The Prime Minister's visit in the same month to the
Netherlands, although brief was significant in that it reaffirmed
to both our countries the importance we attach to ongoing and
closer Indo-Dutch cooperation in several fields.
Other Ministerial visits in the ecnonomic, industrial,
cultural and educational fields between India and Western Europe
during this period have been many, quite apart from those of
parliamentary delegations, industrial and business groups,
academicians, journalists etc. With Western Europe now playing a
key role in world economy, and being a viable source of high
technology inputs for India, closer contacts with West Europe
cannot but be to our advantage.
Anti-Indian extremist activity in Western Europe has been
continuously monitored by us and we have been in close contact
with the Governments of the countries concerned in order to
control extremist elements there, and most governments, have been
responsive to our concern in this matter. In,March 1985 the
Government of the Federal Republic of Germany gave us their
assurance that they would firmly control activitics directed
against the unity and integrity of India, and that illegal
activities of Sikh extremists would not be tolerated. While the
UK Government has also taken some steps against anti-Indian
extremists, pro-Khalistani Sikhs and JKLF supporters continue to
be active there. We are pursuing our demarches with the UK
Government in order to see that concrete steps are taken to put
an end to such activities.
India continued to maintain friendly and cordial relations
with the Soviet Union and other socialist countries of Eastern
Europe. There was a fruitful growth in our economic and cultural
exchanges with these countries.
The Vice-President, Shri R.Venkataraman visited Bulgaria, the
German Democratic Republic and Yogoslavia, in November 1985. The
Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi visited the Soviet Union. There
was a visit to Poland by a parliamentary delegation led by
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Shri H.K.L. Bhagat. There
were other visits at the level of Union Ministers.
Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi visited the Soviet Union in
March 1985 to pay respects to the memory of President Cherneko.
During the visit he had talks with the newly elected General
Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Mr. M.S.Gorbachev. The
Prime Minister's visit in May 1985 was a leading event in Indo-
Soviet relations. His meetings with General Secretary Mr.
Gorbachev provided the occasion for an extensive review of
bilateral relations and major international issues. The dialogue
was continued during the Prime Minister's brief stop over in
Moscow in October 1985.
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Two important agreements were signed during the May 1985 visit
i.e.an Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation providing
for Soviet participation in industrial projects in leading
sectors, being taken up in India, and an Agreement on the Main
Directions on Economic, Trade and Scientific and Technical
Cooperation upto the year 2000.
The ninth meeting of the Indo-Soviet Joint Commission for
Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation was held in Moscow
in April 1985. The Indian side was led by the Minister of Home
Affairs Shri S.B. Chavan and the Soviet side by, the Soviet First
Deputy Prime Minister Mr. L.V.Arkhipov. The meeting reviewed and
provided guidelines for the development of bilateral economic
cooperation, and also prepared for the Prime Minister's visit.
Indo-Soviet trade maintained a good tempo of growth. A notable
event was the signing of the Long Term Trade and Payments
Agreement for 1986-90 which envisages an increase in the turnover
by one and half to two times over the, figure for the preceding
five-year period. The agreement was signed in Moscow by the then
Minister of Commerce, Shri Arjun Singh and the Soviet Minister of
Foreign Trade, Mr. B. Aristov. A highlight of bilateral
cooperation in science and technology was the exhibition of
Indian Science and technology held in Moscow in September 1985
when the Minister of State for Science & Technology Shri Shivraj
Patil visited the Soviet Union. There was fruitful inter-action
in many other sectors of the economy.
Exchanges in culture, arts, education, sports and other fields
also developed well. A leading event was the decision to hold a
Festival of Indian culture in the USSR in mid-1987 to be followed
by a Festival of Soviet culture in India in the winter of 1987.
Other leading visitors from India to the Soviet Union during
this period were the Defence Minister, the Minister of State for
Information & Broadcasting Shri N.V. Gadgil and the Minister of
State for Culture Smt. Sushila Rohatgi.
India hosted a delegation led by the Vice-President of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the President of
the Kirghiz SSR, Mr. T. H. Kashoev, on the occasion of
Independence Day and the anniversary of the Treaty of Peace,
Friendship and Cooperation.
The Vice-President Shri R. Venkataraman paid an official visit
to Bulgaria in November 1985 during which he had talks with
President Zhivkov and First Vice-President Peter Tanchev.
Bilateral relations and issues of world politics were discussed.
There were active exchanges in trade and economic cooperation,
culture and in other areas.
-30>
Bilateral contacts with Czechoslovakia in political, economic
and cultural fields grew satisfactorily during the period under
review. The Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. B. Urban visited India
in mid-1985. The visit provided an occasion for a review of trade
and bilateral economic relations. The Trade Plan for 1986 was
also concluded during the year. The next meeting of the Indo-
Czechoslovak Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific and
Technical Cooperation is due to take place shortly. Cooperation
in culture and other fields also developed well during the year.
The Vice-President paid an official visit to the German
Democratic Republic in November 1985 during which he had talks
with Chairman Honecker and Vice Chairman Krenz. The visit
provided an occasion for reviewing bilateral relations and
leading political issues. The Indo-GDR Joint Commission for
Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation met in New Delhi
in November 1985. The two sides were led respectively by the
Minister of Industry, Shri N.D. Tiwari and the GDR Minister of
Foreign Trade Mr. H.Solle. The Trade and Payments Agreement for
1986 was signed in New Delhi. The most notworthy event in
cultural relations was the holding of "Days of Indian Culture in
the GDR" in October 1985. The Minister of State for Culture Smt.
S. Rohatgi visited the GDR on this occasion.
Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the National Planning Office
of Hungary, Mr. Faluvegi visited India in October 1985. During
the visit,there was an exchange of views on bilateral relations,
particularly economic cooperation as well as on questions of
world politics. A Protocol was signed on cooperation in science
and technology. The visit was immediately preceded by a Hungarian
week in India devoted to an exposition of the Hungarian economy.
A delegation of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry led by Secretary
of State Mr. Hom visited India for official level talks in
January 1986.
The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Polish
People's Republic, Gen. W. Jaruzelski paid an official visit to
India in February 1985. The talks he held with Prime Minister
Shri Rajiv Gandhi covered bilateral relations as well as major
questions of world politics. Members of the Polish delegation
which included the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Prime
Minister and Co-Chairman of the Indo-Polish Joint Commission
Minister of Metallurgy and Heavy Industry, the Minister of Mines
and Power, the Chairman of the State Committee for Radio and
Television, held discussions with their counterparts During the
visit, an agreement was signed on cooperation in the field of
Radio and Television as well. Programmes of cooperation in the
peaceful uses-of Atomic Energy and Cooperation in Science and
Technology were signed during 1985. The 9th session of the
-31>
Indo-Polish Joint Commission was hold in Warsaw in January-
February 1985. The two sides were led by Minister of Steel, Coal
and Mines, Shri V. Sathe and by Mr. Obodowski, Deputy Prime
Minister. The Trade Plan for 1.986 was also signed at the end of
1985.
The Indo-Romnanian Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific
and Technical Cooperation held its meeting in New Delhi in
November 1985. The Indian side was led by the then Minister of
Commerce Shri Arjun Singh and the Romanian side by the Minister
of Metallurgy, Mr. Nicolai Agaci. The Trade and Payments
Agreement for 1986-90 was signed in December 1985, in Bucharest.
These meetings provided an opportunity for an in-depth review of
economic cooperation in diverse fields and for examining means of
increasing cooperation as well as an occasion for an exchange of
views on bilateral. relations.
The Vice-President, Shri R. Venkataraman paid an official
visit to Yugoslavia in November 1985. The talk he held with
President Vlahovic and Vice-President Mr. Sukrija related to
bilatral relations as well as leading issues of world politics,
and the activity of India and Yugoslavia in the Non-aliqued
Movement. The meeting of the Joint Committec for Economic,
Scientific and Telhnical Cooperation held in August 1985 in New
Delhi was an occasion for a comprehensive review of Indo-Yugoslav
economic cooperation and trade.
During the year, high level visits were supplemented by
contacts at other political as well as at official levels.
-32>
|
THE AMERICAS NORTH AMERICA
|
Top |
Indo-US relations have been marked by greater understanding
and cooperation during 1985-86. A major development in bilateral
relations was the visit of the Prime Minister to USA from 11-15
June 1985. The Prime Minister had wide-ranging discussions with
President Reagan and his cabinet colleagues. He addressed aJoint
Session on the Congress, met prominent scientists,
representatives of the media and industry, as-also the Indian
Community. In Washington the Prime Minister also inaugurated the
Festival of India which was dedicated to the memory of Shrimati
Indira Gandhi. The festival would continue till the end of 1986
with a wide-range of cultural and intellectual eventsall over the
USA. It has already enhanced awareness of India in the American
public.
During his visit to New York in October 1985. for the 40th
Anniversary Celebrations of the United Nations, the Prime
Minister had another opportunity to meet President Reagan. There
has also been increased exchange of visitors between India and
the USA, including members of the two countries' legislatures,
government officials, academics and businessmen,
USA is India's largest trading partner. Indian exports to USA
in 1984 amounted to Rs. 3061 crores (2551.4 million) while
imports from USA were of the value of Rs. 1857 crores (1548.1
million). A Memorandum of Lhiderstanding (MOU) on techno logy
transfer signed in November 1984 and finallseed by nud-1 985
opened now avenues for Indo-US cooperation.
Developments in India continued to receive media attention.
The Punjab accord and the holding of the elections in that State,
the settlement in Assam followed by elections, and the new
econoinic policy received favourable comment.
The detection of conspiracies against the person of the Prime
Minister and the Chief Minister of Haryana, activities of
extremist groups like the World Sikh Organisation and the
training of extremists in a mercenary training school in USA were
the cause of deep concern in India. India has welcomed the desire
of the United States Government to cooperate with us in curbing
the international dimensions of terrorist violence against India,
and noted sonic positive steps taken in this regard.
-33>
India and the USA have some differences in their perception
and approach to some international issucs. There are also some
differences over regional issues. However, both sides have kept
in touchion a variety of issues in order to narrow the
differences and enhance mutual undcrstandine. At the saime time,
both sides have been making Lin Vffort to build on the many
common areas of interest to mutual benefit.
In the second half of 1985, high level bilateral contacts
between Indian and Canada set the tone for a relationship of
greater mutual understanding. The Prime Minister met the Canadian
Prime Minister Mr. Brian Mulroney in October 1985 during the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Nassau, the Bahamas.
The two leaders worked closely together on the question of South
Africa. The Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs, Mr.
Joseph Clark paid an official visit to India from 14-19 November
1985. The talks between the two Ministers for External Affairs
covered bilateral" regional and international issues. It was
agreed to hold annual consultations at the Foreign Minister
levzl. The Speaker of the Lek Sabha, Dr. Balram Jakhar led a
delegation of Indian Parliamentarians to the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Conference at Saskatchewan from 2-12 October 1985.
India has been deeply concerned about the activities of
extremists in Canada, wbich included violence against Indian
diplomats, a bate campaign against Indian lead ers,
misrepresentation of developments in India through the community
media, etc. The tragic dimension of the problem was highlighted
when Air India Flight 182 crashed off the coast of Ireland in
June 1985 apparently due to sabotage.
The Canadian Government took some steps to counter extremist
activities against India by Canada-based elements. These included
the piovision of greater security to our diplomatic staff, the
extension of Part-II of the Canadian Extradition Act to India
effective from 31 October 1985 and the lifting of the 17-month
moratorium on the deportation of Sikhs found to be in Canada in
contravention of the Immigration Act. Both sides have also agreed
to conclude an Extradition Treaty.
Two way Indo-Canadian trade in 1984 amounted to approximately
Rs. 553 crores (615 million) with the balance in favour of
Canada. In December 1985 economic consultations were hold in New
Delhi. Canada has expressed interest in strengthening economic
relations and offcred to support various development projects.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
During the period under review Indi's relations with the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean continued to develop
satisfactorily. Exchanges of high level visits and
-34>
the signing of bilatrical agreements contributed to the
strongthening of relations and the
increase the. cooperation between India and the countries of the
region. Particularly significant were the visits of the
Presidents of Argentina and Mexico and the Prinle Minister of
Trinidad & Tobago to India and the visit of Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi to Cuba. The Presidents of Argentina and Mexico
particularly in the Six-Nation DisarLanient Summit in New Delhi
January 1985.
President Raul Alfonsin of Argentina paid a State visit to
India from 23-29 January 1985. During this visit three bilateral
agreements were signed Agreement on Economic Cooperation;
Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation; and Cultural
Exchange Programme for 1985-87.
India sponsored, along with Algeria, Brazil" Ghana, Mexico,
Uruguay and Yugoslavia a resolution in the UN General Assembly
(adopted on 27 November 1985) calling upon Argentina and the U.K.
to initiate negotiations with a view to resolving peace.fully'and
definitely the pending problems between both countries including
all aspects of the future of the Falkland s (Malvinas). The
resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority with 107 in
favour, 4 against and 41 abstentions.
|
During the visit of President Miguel De La Madrid of Mexico
from 27-31 January 1985 to India, three agreements were signed:
Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial Cooperation; Protocol
on Cooperation in Bio-technology; and a Cultural Exchange
Programme for 1985-87. An industrial delegation from Mexico
visited India in March 1985. Dr. Octavio Paz, a poet of
international stature and a former Ambassador of Mexico to India,
visited India in November 1985 to deliver the Nehru Memorial
Lecture.
Two major earthquakes hit Mexico City in September 1985
resulting in over 5000 deaths and extensive damage to property.
Messages of sympathy were sent by the President and the Prime
Minister to the President of Mexico. India also donated emergency
medical relief supplies to the value of Rs. 10 lakhs for the
earthquake victims, for which the Government of Mexico expressed
its appreciation.
During the visit of Mr George Michael Chambers, Prime Minister
of Trinidad & Tobago, to India from 29 July to 1 August 1985 an
Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the two
countries was signed. Two Judges of the Supreme Court of Trinidad
and Tobago visited India in September 1985 under the Commonwealth
Judicial Exchange Programme.
-35>
The Foreign Minister of Brazil Dr. Olavo Egydio Setubal, who
led the Brazilian delegation to the New Delhi Global System of
Trade Preferences Conference in July 1985, stayed on for
bilateral talks from 22-24 July 1985. An Agreement on Cooperation
in Science & Technology between India and Brazil was signed
during the visit.
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi received a very warm welcome
during his two-day official visit to Cuba on 21-22 October 1985,
the first by an Indian Prime Minister. The Prime Minister
received Cuba's highest national award named in honour of Jose
Martin on benalf of the late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi
to whom it was posthumously awarded.
Dr. Raja Ramanna, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission visited
Cuba in May 1985 and a bilateral Agreement on Cooperation
regarding the utilization of Atomic Energy for peaceful purposes
was concluded during the visit. Cuba's Foreign Trade Minister,
Mr. Ricardo Cabrisas, paid an official visit to India in
September 1985.
Following Nicaragua's elections in November 1984, President
Daniel Ortega Saavedra, was inaugurated on 10 January 1985. India
was represonted at the ceremony by Shri Eduardo Faleiro, M.P. In
response to a request from the Government of Nicaragua India
gifted medicines worth Rs. 1 lakh to Nicaragua. A special Envoy
of the President of Nicaragua, Pedro Antonio Blandon, Vice-
Minister of International Cooperation visited India in March
1985. Nicaragua's Foreign Minister, Mr. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann
paid an official visit to India from 19-23 November 1985.
Nicaragua opened an Embassy in New Delhi in November 1985.
A climate of tension and violence continued in Central
America, particularly Nicaragua, giving rise to concern at the
possibility of enlarged armed conflict. India, on various
occasions, expressed continued support for the efforts of the
Contadora Group to work out an Act for Peace in the region which
would defuse and end tensions, and welcomed the formation, in
August, of a 'Support Group' of four democracies of Latin America
i.e. Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay.
Elections for the Presidency and Parliament were held in Peru
in April 1985, Mr. Alan Garcia Perez, assumed charge as President
on 28 July 1985. India was represented at the inaugural ceremony
by Smt. Mohsina Kidwai, Minister for Health & Family Welfare and
Shri Arun Singh, the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime
Minister. Peru's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Mr. Cesar
Atala, paid an official visit to India in October 1985.
-36>
In February 1985, Shri P.K. Thungon, M.P. visited Suriname as
official representative for the Fifth Anniversary of the February
Revolution of Suriname. The Government of Suriname named an
important road after the late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
Refuting various news reports about the recognition of the
self-styled "Republic of Khalistan," inspired by separatist
elements, the Government of Ecuador issued a categoricatatement
declaring that it does not recognise, or have official contacts
with, any separatist group which calls itself "Republic of
Khalistan" or by whatever name, nor will it allow anti-Indian
activities from its territory.
Ecuador closed its resident Embassy in New Delhi which had
been opened the previous year. The Government of Ecuador conveyed
that their decision was purely for economic reasons and in no way
affected Ecuador's desire to continue and strengthen cordial
relations with India. The Ambassador of Ecuador in Cairo has been
concurrently accredited as Ambassador to India.
Shri P.K. Thungon, M.P. also represented India at the
inauguration of President Julio Sanguinetti of Uruguay which took
place in March 1985, marking Uruguay's return to democratic
government after 11 years of military rule.
Shri Ashok Sen, Minister for Law and Justice represented India
at the funeral of the late President Burnham of Guyana, in August
1985. The Foreign Minister of the Bahamas, Clement T. Maynard,
visited India in July 1985. India donated sports goods worth Rs.
1 lakh to Jamaica. A Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker
of the Lok Sabha, Dr. Balram Jakhar, visited Colombia in
February/March 1985.
A devastating volcanic eruption in Colombia in November 1985
destroyed Armero town and left a toll of over 25,000 dead and
thousands injured. The President and the Prime Minister sent
messages of sympathy to the President of Colombia.
During the period under review a cultural troupe visited some
countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Ms. Kiran
Segal led a nine-member dance troupe to Venezuela, Cuba, Costa
Rica, Colombia, Jamaica, Panama and Suriname in October/November
1985.
-37>
|
During the visit of President Miguel De La Madrid of Mexico
from 27-31 January 1985 to India, three agreements were signed:
Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial Cooperation; Protocol
on Cooperation in Bio-technology; and a Cultural Exchange
Programme for 1985-87. An industrial delegation from Mexico
visited India in March 1985. Dr. Octavio Paz, a poet of
international stature and a former Ambassador of Mexico to India,
visited India in November 1985 to deliver the Nehru Memorial
Lecture.
Two major earthquakes hit Mexico City in September 1985
resulting in over 5000 deaths and extensive damage to property.
Messages of sympathy were sent by the President and the Prime
Minister to the President of Mexico. India also donated emergency
medical relief supplies to the value of Rs. 10 lakhs for the
earthquake victims, for which the Government of Mexico expressed
its appreciation.
During the visit of Mr George Michael Chambers, Prime Minister
of Trinidad & Tobago, to India from 29 July to 1 August 1985 an
Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the two
countries was signed. Two Judges of the Supreme Court of Trinidad
and Tobago visited India in September 1985 under the Commonwealth
Judicial Exchange Programme.
-35>
The Foreign Minister of Brazil Dr. Olavo Egydio Setubal, who
led the Brazilian delegation to the New Delhi Global System of
Trade Preferences Conference in July 1985, stayed on for
bilateral talks from 22-24 July 1985. An Agreement on Cooperation
in Science & Technology between India and Brazil was signed
during the visit.
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi received a very warm welcome
during his two-day official visit to Cuba on 21-22 October 1985,
the first by an Indian Prime Minister. The Prime Minister
received Cuba's highest national award named in honour of Jose
Martin on benalf of the late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi
to whom it was posthumously awarded.
Dr. Raja Ramanna, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission visited
Cuba in May 1985 and a bilateral Agreement on Cooperation
regarding the utilization of Atomic Energy for peaceful purposes
was concluded during the visit. Cuba's Foreign Trade Minister,
Mr. Ricardo Cabrisas, paid an official visit to India in
September 1985.
Following Nicaragua's elections in November 1984, President
Daniel Ortega Saavedra, was inaugurated on 10 January 1985. India
was represonted at the ceremony by Shri Eduardo Faleiro, M.P. In
response to a request from the Government of Nicaragua India
gifted medicines worth Rs. 1 lakh to Nicaragua. A special Envoy
of the President of Nicaragua, Pedro Antonio Blandon, Vice-
Minister of International Cooperation visited India in March
1985. Nicaragua's Foreign Minister, Mr. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann
paid an official visit to India from 19-23 November 1985.
Nicaragua opened an Embassy in New Delhi in November 1985.
A climate of tension and violence continued in Central
America, particularly Nicaragua, giving rise to concern at the
possibility of enlarged armed conflict. India, on various
occasions, expressed continued support for the efforts of the
Contadora Group to work out an Act for Peace in the region which
would defuse and end tensions, and welcomed the formation, in
August, of a 'Support Group' of four democracies of Latin America
i.e. Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay.
Elections for the Presidency and Parliament were held in Peru
in April 1985, Mr. Alan Garcia Perez, assumed charge as President
on 28 July 1985. India was represented at the inaugural ceremony
by Smt. Mohsina Kidwai, Minister for Health & Family Welfare and
Shri Arun Singh, the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime
Minister. Peru's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Mr. Cesar
Atala, paid an official visit to India in October 1985.
-36>
In February 1985, Shri P.K. Thungon, M.P. visited Suriname as
official representative for the Fifth Anniversary of the February
Revolution of Suriname. The Government of Suriname named an
important road after the late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
Refuting various news reports about the recognition of the
self-styled "Republic of Khalistan," inspired by separatist
elements, the Government of Ecuador issued a categoricatatement
declaring that it does not recognise, or have official contacts
with, any separatist group which calls itself "Republic of
Khalistan" or by whatever name, nor will it allow anti-Indian
activities from its territory.
Ecuador closed its resident Embassy in New Delhi which had
been opened the previous year. The Government of Ecuador conveyed
that their decision was purely for economic reasons and in no way
affected Ecuador's desire to continue and strengthen cordial
relations with India. The Ambassador of Ecuador in Cairo has been
concurrently accredited as Ambassador to India.
Shri P.K. Thungon, M.P. also represented India at the
inauguration of President Julio Sanguinetti of Uruguay which took
place in March 1985, marking Uruguay's return to democratic
government after 11 years of military rule.
Shri Ashok Sen, Minister for Law and Justice represented India
at the funeral of the late President Burnham of Guyana, in August
1985. The Foreign Minister of the Bahamas, Clement T. Maynard,
visited India in July 1985. India donated sports goods worth Rs.
1 lakh to Jamaica. A Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker
of the Lok Sabha, Dr. Balram Jakhar, visited Colombia in
February/March 1985.
A devastating volcanic eruption in Colombia in November 1985
destroyed Armero town and left a toll of over 25,000 dead and
thousands injured. The President and the Prime Minister sent
messages of sympathy to the President of Colombia.
During the period under review a cultural troupe visited some
countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Ms. Kiran
Segal led a nine-member dance troupe to Venezuela, Cuba, Costa
Rica, Colombia, Jamaica, Panama and Suriname in October/November
1985.
-37>
|
UNITED NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
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Top |
The year 1985 marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment
of the United Nations, an event which was enthusiastically
commemorated at the United Nations and around the world including
India. The special commemorative session of the UN General
Assembly in observance of the 40th anniversary was held from 14
to 24 October 1985. During the 40th General Assembly session, a
total of 35 Heads of State, 33 Heads of Government and 43 Special
Envoys addressed the Assembly, the vast majority of them during
the special commemorative period. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi
visited New York in this connection from 22-24 October 1985.
Among other Heads of State or Government present were the
Presidents of USA, Yugoslavia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Prime
Ministers of U.K., China, Canada, Sweden, Japan and Sri Lanka,
Chancellors of FRG and Austria and Special Envoys from USSR and
France.
The presence of an unprecedently large number of leadersat the
UN for the 40th anniversary observance was itself a testimony to
the faith and confidence reposed in the UN by the international
community. The statements by various leaders contained a clear
and unanimous reaffirmation of the continuing importance and
relevance of the UN as a unique forum for finding solutions to
pressing international problems in varied fields. A majority of
statements at the commemorative session focused on pressing
global and regional problems like disarmament, apartheid,
Namibia, Middle East, Palestine, Central America, the debt issue
etc.
The special commemorative session, however, failed to adopt a
Declaration originally envisaged for the occasion. In spite of
its best efforts, the Indian delegation, which chaired the
informal drafting group to elaborate such a text, did not succeed
in evolving a consensus. The commemorative session did however
adopt a resolution by consensus, which declared 1986 as the
International Year of Peace.
Security Council
India completed its 2-year term of the Security Council as a
non-permanent member on 31 December 1985. The importance of
India's membership of the Council for its fifth term during 1984-
85 was enhanced by its concurrent Chairmanship of the Movement of
Non-aligned countries. India served as the President of the
Council during
-38>
February 1985. As many as 73 meetings were convened during 1985
and 21 resolutions adopted. India participated constructively in
the deliberations of the Security Council on the various issues
of which the Council was seized.
A Special Commemorative Meeting of the Security Council held
on 26 September 1985 unanimously adopted a Declaration in which
an urgent need to enhance the effectiveness of the Security
Council in discharging its principal role of maintaining
international peace and security was emphasised. The Indian
statement at this meeting reiterated the undiminished faith of
the Government and people of India in the UN and continued
commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the
Charter.
A significant development was the strong condemnation by the
Security Council of all acts of hostage taking and abduction, and
a call for the immediate safe release of all hostages and
abducted persons wherever and by whomsoever they were being held.
The Security Council took this action by unanimously adopting
Resolution 579 on 18 December 1985 which was sponsored by
Australia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, UK
and the USA. India voted in favour of the Resolution. In the wake
of the Achille Lauro incident, the Council also adopted a
Presidential Declaration condemning "terrorism" wherever and by
whomsoever committed. In another Declaration, the Council,
condemning the terrorist attacks at the Rome and Vienna airports,
called upon all concerned to exercise restraint and to refrain
from taking any action inconsistent with their obligations under
the UN Charter and international law.
Political Issues
India was active in all the three main fora dealing with
disarmament issues, namely the Conference on Disarmament, the UN
Disarmament Commission, and the First Committee of the UN General
Assembly. India firmly believes that in this nuclear age,
disarmament is indispensable not only for world peace but for the
very survival of mankind.
As a follow-up of the Joint Appeal of 22 May 1984, India took
the initiative to call for an urgent dialogue between the Nuclear
Weapon States. The Heads of State/ Government of Argentina,
Greece, Mexico, India, Sweden and Tanzania met in New Delhi on 28
January 1985 and adopted the Delhi Declaration which, inter alia,
reaffirmed the appeal of 1984 urging the Nuclear Weapon States to
halt testing, production and deployment of nuclear weapons to be
followed by programme of arms reduction, leading to general and
complete disarmament. The Delhi Declaration further called for
urgent steps to prevent the arms race in Outer Space and for
concluding a comprehensive treaty prohibiting the testing of
nuclear weapons. On 24 October, the six leaders addressed a joint
message to President Reagan of U.S. and General Secretary
Gorbachev of USSR, putting forward some ideas for consideration
at the Geneva Summit in November 1985. They proposed the
suspension of all nuclear tests for a period of 12
-39>
months, such a suspension to be extended or made permanent, and
offering their good offices to facilitate the establishment of
effective verification arrangements.
As in previous years, India took several initiatives in the
First Committee to promote nuclear disarmament. A record number
of resolutions were adopted this year in the UN First Committee,
focusing on urgently desired action for prevention of nuclear war
and to bring about nuclear disarmament. Sixty seven resolutions
were adopted on disarmament items of which India co-sponsored 12
and voted in favour of 51. India's own traditional proposals on a
freeze on nuclear weapons and on a Convention on the prohibition
of use of nuclear weapons retained their relevance and were
adopted with the support of an overwhelming majority. Along with
a large number of Non-aligned as well as Western and Socialist
States, India co-sponsored a resolution in which the General
Assembly decided to convene an International Conference on
Disarmament and Development in Paris in July 1986. The unanimous
adoption of this Resolution symbolised a modest achievement for
the international community. India was elected as Chairman of the
Preparatory Committee for the International Conference on
Disarmament and Development.
There was a remarkable upsurge in the worldwide concern on the
subject of prevention of an arms race in outer space. As in the
preceding years, the UN General Assembly again adopted a single
resolution on this subject with the support of all delegations
except one.
As regards those proposals which raised peripheral concerns
and sought to divert attention from the highest priority issues
of nuclear disarmament and prevention of nuclear war, India took
a forthright stand and, in a number of cases, abstained from
voting in favour of some resolutions. India, as in the past,
voted against the Pakistani resolution on a Nuclear Weapon Free
Zone in South Asia, categorically rejecting the proposal as
unrealistic and unnecessary annual ritual, which was not related
to the primary task of confidence building among the nations of
South Asia.
Apart from disarmament items, other political issues of
continuing concern were South Africa, Namibia, Palestine, Central
America, Cyprus and issues relating to Decolonisation. Of the new
items on the agenda, the important ones related to international
cooperation in the peaceful exploitation of outer space under
conditions of its non-militarization. A notable achievement of
the 40th General Assembly was the adoption without vote of a
resolution on 'Measures to Prevent International Terrorism'. The
General Assembly also decided to set up a group of high-level
experts to study ways to improve the functioning of the United
Nations.
West Asia
The situation in West Asia engaged the constant attention of
the UN General Assembly and the Security Council during 1985. In
pursuance of General Assembly
-40>
Resolution 39/49D, on the question of organisation and convening
of the international peace conference on the Middle East, the
Secretary General addressed a communication to the President of
the Security Council seeking the views of the Council on action
to be taken for the implementation of this Resolution. In his
response to the Secretary General, the Permanent Representative
of India, in its capacity as Council President for February 1985,
after due consultations, indicated that almost all members were
in favour, in principle, of holding such a conference. While many
of these members felt that it should be convened as early as
possible, others considered that the conditions that would make
it possible to convene such a conference had not yet been met.
The Secretary General was invited to continue his consultations
on the subject in any manner he deemed appropriate.
Formal meetings of the Security Council were held to consider
the situation in the Middle East, the developments in Lebanon and
in occupied Palestinian and Arab territories. The Council
approved the extension of the mandates of United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon and United Nations Disengagement Observers
Force.
The Council held several other meetings to consider the West
Asian situation including the Israeli bombing of the Palestinian
camps in Tunisia and the "Achille Lauro" incident. Meetings of
the Security Council were also held in pursuance of the decision
taken at the NAM Ministerial Conference at Luanda to consider the
situation in West Asia.
The General Assembly adopted seven resolutions on the two
items-"The question of Palestine" and the "Situation in the
Middle East" co-sponsored by India and several other Non-aligned
countries. The Indian representative drew attention to the sense
of indignation and outrage of the overwhelming majority of the
member States of the UN and the international community in
general, over the continued and defiant refusal of Israel, in
violation of its Charter obligations, to comply with relevant UN
resolutions. He placed on record India's consistent support for
the people of Palestine and the Arab cause.
Namibia and the situation in South Africa remained an active
subject for discussion both at the United Nations and in the Non-
aligned Movement. They also dominated the proceedings at Nassau,
CHOGM. The Extra-ordinary Ministerial Meeting of the NAM
Coordinating Bureau held in New Delhi on the question of Namibia
from 19 to 21 April 1985 adopted an important Declaration and a
Programme of Action on Namibia besides adopting a statement
condemning South Africa's decision to establish an "Interim
Government" in Namibia. In pursuance to this Conference, the
Security Council held an urgent meeting from 10 to 19 June 1985
to consider the Namibian question. In response to the decision of
the New Delhi meeting that the Security Council's discussions be
represented at high level, 18 Ministers of the Non-aligned
countries addressed the Council. The Security Council once again
discussed this item as the follow-up of the decisions taken at
the NAM Ministerial Conference at Luanda in September 1985. While
the first meeting of the Security Council adopted a resolution
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warning South Africa that the failure to implement UN resolutions
could compel the Security Council to consider adoption of
appropriate measures under the Charter, the second meeting of the
Council, failed to adopt the Non-aligned resolution in view of
the veto by U.K. and U.S.A. who had earlier abstained on the
first resolution. The General Assembly was equally concerned with
the subject and adopted six resolutions on the subject including
a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assemly
in 1986 to consider Namibian independence. The South African
Government's imposition of the State of Emergency in 36 districts
of the country led to another meeting of the Security Council in
July 1985 which urged the members to adopt measures against South
Africa including suspension of all new investments, restriction
in the field of sports and cultural relations, suspension of
guaranteed export loan and prohibition of new contracts in the
nuclear field and all sales of computer equipments that might be
used by the South African army and police. This imposition of
emergency was also considered by NAM Coordinating Bureau at its
urgent meeting on 27 July 1985. NAM Coordinating Bureau held
several meetings on this occasion to consider Namibian issue and
the South Africa's repressive measures against black majority in
South Africa. India's concern for the people of South Africa was
underlined by the Prime Minister himself when he addressed the
specially convened meeting of the Committee on Apartheid at the
UN. At Nassau, the Prime Minister gave a call for adoption of
comprehensive mandatory sanctions against the Apartheid regime
and helped to negotiate the Commonwealth Accord on South Africa.
It was because of the India's forceful stand on this crucial
issue that the Conference could not sidetrack the South African
issue and it dominated even the week-end Retreat discussions.
During the year under review, the representative of India
continued as a member of the Task Force on Political Prisoners,
Task Force on Women and Children and also as member of the
Advisory Committee of the United Nations Educational and Training
Programme for Southern Africa.
The debate on the question of apartheid in the 40th session of
the General Assembly was based mainly on the report of the
Special Committee against Apartheid. Seven draft resolutions were
drafted by the Special Committee and two others by Finland and
Sweden. One resolution was adopted without a vote (UN Trust Fund
for South Africa). The other eight resolutions were adopted by
large majorities.
South Africa's aggression against Angola during the year
resulted in the adoption of as many as 4 separate Security
Council resolutions. Resolution 567 (1985) unanimously adopted on
20 June 1985 condemned South Africa for its act of aggression
committed in May 1985 against Angola and for the use of the
international territory of Namibia as a springboard for
perpetrating such attacks. Resolution 571 (1985) unanimously
adopted on 20 September 1985 condemned South Africa for its
"persistent, premeditated and sustained armed invasion" of Angola
and its flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of that country. Resolution 574 (1985) also adopted
unanimously on 7 October 1985 strongly condemned South Africa for
perpetrating
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acts of aggression against Angola, called upon all States to
implement fully arms embargo imposed against South Africa as
called for in Security Council Resolution 418 (1977) and
requested the Commission of Investigation established in
pursuance of Resolution 571 consisting of Australia, Egypt and
Peru to report urgently on its evaluation of the damage resulting
from South Africa's aggression. In the fourth unanimous
resolution on the subject, Resolution 577 (1985) the Security
Council endorsed the report of its Commission of Investigation
and demanded that South Africa pay full and adequate compensation
to Angola for the damage to life and property resulting from its
acts of aggression.
On a request from Botswana, the Security Council held an
urgent meeting on 21 June 1985 to consider South Africa's
aggression against Botswana. The Council unanimously adopted
Resolution 568 (1985) which strongly condemned South Africa for
its unprovoked and unwarranted military attack on Botswana's
capital on 14th June 1985.
The overall situation in the Central American region remained
equally critical and volatile during the period under review. The
Security Council considered the extremely serious situation" in
the Central American region from 8 to 10 May 1985 at the request
of Nicaragua. The representative of India on 9 May 1985
emphasised that peace in Central America could not rest on the
foundation of policies of intervention, interference and
intimidation or that of threat of use of force, nor of coercive
measures of any kind whatsoever. India supported the efforts of
the Contadora Group for obtaining lasting peace in the region.
The Council met again on 10 December 1985 at the request of
Nicaragua which complained of "the extremely serious situation
created by the escalation of acts of aggression" against
Nicaragua by the United States. India participated in the debate
alongwith other Non-aligned countries in a show of solidarity
with Nicaragua. In the absence of any agreement among the
countries of the Contadora, no draft resolution could be
submitted to the Council for its consideration and debate ended
without any decision. Similarly, during the consideration of the
question by the General Assembly no consensus could be reached on
a possible draft resolution and as such the Assembly could not
take any action on the item.
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The United Nations once again considered the question of
Afghanistan and adopted a Resolution by 122 votes in favour, 19
against and 12 abstentions. India, as in previous years,
abstained. The Indian delegate once again stressed the need to
prevent escalation of tensions in the region and to take
effective action to defuse them. He urged all concerned to work
for the evolution of a political solution based on a dialogue
between the parties directly involved.
The situation in Kampuchea also received attention in the
General Assembly. While a number of delegations, including India,
expressed their reservations on the credentials of "Democratic
Kampuchea," there was no formal move in the General
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Assembly to challenge its credentials. The substantive resolution
on Kampuchea wa s adopted by 114 votes in favour, 21 against and
16 abstentions. India abstained on the ground that the adoption
of a resolution that satisfied only one side, would obstruct
rather than encourage constructive contacts. India advocated a
comprehensive political solution, based on the principles and
framework accepted at the Seventh Nonaligned Summit in Delhi.
The UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution
requesting the Ad-hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean "to complete
preparatory work relating to the Conference on the Indian Ocean
during 1986 in order to enable the opening of the Conference at
Colombo at an early date soon thereafter, but not later than
1988, to be decided by the Committee in consultation with the
host country". The Resolution further emphasised that the
Conference and the establishment and maintenance of the Indian
Ocean as a Zone of Peace required the full and active
participation and cooperation of all the permanent members of the
Security Council, the major maritime users and the littoral and
hinterland states.
The Debate on the Antarctica revealed widespread concern among
the developing countries on the question. Some countries stressed
that Antarctica was a common heritage of mankind and required a
new regime. The Antarctic Consultative Parties highlighted the
positive role of the Treaty and stressed that the Antarctic
Treaty regime has preserved international peace and security,
promoted peaceful cooperation and scientific research in the
area, reconciled conflicting territorial claims and maintained
the area as a nuclear free zone. Three resolutions tabled by the
Non-aligned, developing countries, were adopted under this item.
These resolutions, inter alia, request the Secretary General to
up-date and expand the study on the question of Antarctica,
affirm that any exploitation of the resources of Antarctica
should ensure, inter alia, the equitable sharing of the benefits
of such exploitation and call for the exclusion of South Africa
from the meetings of the consultative parties. India voted in
favour of the third resolution.
The thirteenth meeting of the Antarctic Consultative Parties
held in Brussels from 7 to 18 October 1985 considered a number of
matters concerning the impact of man's activities in the
Antarctic environment and matters relating to the operation of
the Antarctic Treaty. Questions relating to the establishment of
a permanent infrastructure and sharing of costs of such an
infrastructure and the conference activities were also considered
on a preliminary basis.
The debate on the agenda item dealing with the Iran-Iraq
conflict was once again postponed to a resumed session in
consultation with the parties concerned. The ongoing hostilities
between Iran and Iraq however, engaged the attention of the
Security Council during 1985. In January 1985, the reports of the
missions investigating the conditions of POWs in Iran and Iraq
and of the inspection of attacks on civilian areas were brought
to the notice of the Security Council. In March 1985, the Council
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President issued a statement appealing to both Iran and Iraq to
exercise restraint and to continue to honour their undertakings
to the Security Council not to attack civilian areas. During the
same month, the Secretary General put forward his 8-point
proposal to both the parties for finding a comprehensive
settlement of the war. In April 1985 the Council President issued
a statement condemning renewed use of chemical weapons in the
conflict.
The year 1985 was celebrated as the 25th anniversary of the
Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries
and Peoples. To mark the occasion, the Special Committee on
Decolonisation conducted two regional seminars at Port Moresby
(Papua New Guinea) and at Havana (Cuba) to focus mainly on the
implementation of the Declaration with respect to the remaining
territories in these regions. Similarly, the Special Committee
held an extra-ordinary plenary session at Tunis from 13 to 17 May
1985.
During the 40th session of the General Assembly, in a series
of decisions on decolonisation issues, the Assembly called for
renewed efforts to complete the implementation of its 1960
Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries
and Peoples; strongly condemned South Africa's continued illegal
occupation of Namibia and called for an end to collaboration with
South Africa and reiterated its call for the cessation of foreign
economic and military activities that hinder the decolonisation
process. In addition to the two main resolutions under this
agenda item, one relating to the implementation of the
Declaration and the other on Dissemination of Information on
Decolonisation, both of which were co-sponsored by India, the
Assembly also adopted this year a third resolution on the 25th
anniversary of the Declaration.
The Assembly on 27 November, also adopted a resolution on
Malvinas by a vote of 107 in favour, 4 against and 41
abstentions. The Resolution was co-sponsored by India and several
other Non-aligned countries.
India, as one of the 10 globally most advanced countries, was
a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board
of Governors. The Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr.
Ramanna in his speech at the General Conference highlighted the
need for nuclear power and emphasised that Regional Cooperative
Agreement (RCA) for countries in Asia and the Pacific should
devote more attention to the development of nuclear power in
these countries. He rejected the socalled non-proliferation
measures of the NPT, which actually legitimise the possession of
nuclear weapons by some states. He underlined that if the NPT was
to be effective it must apply equally to all countries. India was
concerned about recent developments of continuing extension of
supplier restraints and conditions on transfers of nuclear
materials, equipment and technology, which could only negatively
affect the fundamental promotional aspect of the IAEA. The report
of the International Atomic Energy
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Agency for 1984 was presented by its Director General Dr. Hans
Blix at the 40th session of the United Nations General Assembly
on 31 October 1985.
Economic Issues
The overall climate before the start of the 40th General
Assembly session was somewhat better than at the same time in
1984. There had been some improvement in the world economic
situation, particularly in the industrialized countries. However,
it was also clear that the piecemeal measures taken towards the
debt problem were inadequate and that developing countries
particularly in sub-Saharan Africa continued to face major
problems. Monetary and exchange instability and increasing
protectionism were creating difficulties for the industrialized
countries themselves. There was general agreement that sustained
economic growth was required to overcome the world's economic
problems. Beyond this common understanding, however, there was
little progress in concrete areas.
The virtual standstill in international economic negotiations
in UN fora continued in 1985. The Western industrialised
countries particularly the United States remain unwilling to
enter into serious negotiations in the UN and the North-South
dialogue is increasingly confined to the specialized economic
fora like GATT, IMF and the World Bank. Their inclination is to
use the United Nations only as a foium for general discussion and
debate but not for serious negotiations or decisions.
Increasingly evident also is the desire of major industrialised
countries to reach agreements on far-reaching issues only among
themselves without fully involving the multilateral system.
Because of their serious economic problems, many developing
countries have come under pressure from developed countries.
As Chairman of the Non-aligned Movement, India actively
supported efforts towards adoption of the Declaration at the
Ministerial Meeting of the Non-aligned Countries in Angola and
the positions taken by Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77
which was held immediately prior to the General Assembly session
in New York. Strenuous efforts were made to pursue the decisions
of the Seventh Nonaligned Summit held in New Delhi particularly
in the areas of money, finance and trade and towards the
convening of the International Conference on Money and Finance
for Development.
Partly in order to revitalise the dialogue on important
international economic issues in the United Nations, India along
with some other developing countries called for a discussion on
the inter-related issues of money finance, debt, trade, resource
flows and development to examine international cooperation in
these vital areas in a coherent and integrated manner. This
became the theme for special focus during the meetings
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of the Economic and Social Council. The discussion on these broad
range of areas was continued during the exercise on the review
and appraisal of the International Development Strategy for the
Third United Nations Development Decade. India worked closely
with the Chairman of the Group of 77 and the Chairman of the
Committee to reach an agreed consensus conclusion of this
important exercise. Such a positive outcome had seemed doubtful
during the two years of protracted negotiations on this issue and
India was encouraged at this development.
At the 40th session of the General Assembly, the resolutions
in the areas of Money and Finance, the Debt Problem and
International Trade in Commodities could not be fully negotiated
and have been deferred to a resumed session of the Second
Committee of the General Assembly to take place sometime in May
1986. Consensus was, however, possible in some important areas
but mainly because the action sought was of limited or procedural
nature such as food and agriculture, substantial and new plan of
action for the least developed countries, development of energy
resources and science and technology.
This year's General Assembly also adopted by consensus a
resolution on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa. The
General Assembly decided to hold a special session at the
ministerial level on this subject in May 1986. The Non-aligned
Movement had strongly supported the call for such a special
session made by the OAU Summit Conference of the African leaders.
The Pledging Conference for the Operational Activities for
Development this year showed an increase in nominal term in the
pledges for the major funds and programmes of the United Nations.
Partly this was attributable to exchange rate variations. The
financial situation of many of these important programmes has,
however, stabilised. The United Nations Fund for Population
Activities continues to face a difficult situation because of the
withholding of a significant portion of its contribution by the
United States, and considerable uncertainty about its future
pledge to this fund.
India continued to stress the importance of increased South-
South cooperation among the developing countries. India was
involved at the Inter-governmental Follow-up and Coordination
Committee meeting in Jakarta which laid down improved procedures
for the promotion of Economic Cooperation among Developing
Countries (ECDC). A major development in this area was the
holding of a Ministerial Conference on Global System of Trade
Preferences (GSTP) which was hosted by India in July 1985. The
meeting provided an important impetus to the ongoing work on GSTP
and in promoting trade among developing countries. A meeting of
participating institutions in the Research Information System of
NAM (RIS) was also held in Delhi in November 1985.
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Social and Humanitarian Issues
In conformity with the principles enshrined in our
Constitution, India continued to take an active interest in
social issues, both in the United Nations General Assembly and
other UN fora. As Chairman of the NAM India helped in co-
ordinating the Non-aligned positions, particularly on issues
relating to South Africa, the Middle East and the Right to
Development as a human right.
India was also involved in the adoption of a Draft Declaration
on the Human Rights of Individuals who are not Nationals of the
Country in which they live and also contributed to the ongoing
negotiations on the Right to Development defending the principles
of socio-economic justice and national sovereignty over natural
resources for all countries as also in urging the world community
to accede to the International Covenant on Human Rights and the
International Covenant on Suppression and Punishment of the Crime
of Apartheid and the Convention on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination as well as contributing to the drafting of a
Convention on the Rights of the Child and those of Migrant
Workers.
In the Third Committee where seventy resolutions were adopted,
India co-sponsored several resolutions relating to racism,
apartheid, plight of refugees, the fund for development of women,
control of drug trafficking and on the use of scientific and
technological developments. India helped ensure the adoption of
several other important resolutions, both on socio-economic
issues as well as those on the right to selfdetermination, youth,
torture, ieligious intolerance and human rights. A resolution on
National Institutions for the promotion and protection of human
rights initiated by India was adopted without a vote in the
General Assembly.
The Indian delegation continued to voice its concern at the
deteriorating situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms
in the world. In the General Assembly, India came forward
strongly in defending the rights of the people of South Africa
and expressed our abhorrence of the system of apartheid. On the
problem of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, India called for a
viable political solution and avoidance of violence. We supported
the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and hoped that
the spirit of democracy would continue to prevail in the ongoing
talks between the Sri Lanka authorities and the Tamil leaders of
Sri Lanka. For the first time, the situation of human rights in
Afghanistan and Iran came up for discussion at the General
Assembly. India emphasized the need for a political solution to
the problem and the principle of non-interference in the internal
affairs of States.
India highlighted the continued colonisation of Namibia and
the sufferings of the Palestinians in the territories occupied by
Israel. India joined the developing countries in calling for the
adoption of the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women and participated actively in the work
relating to the Second Decade
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to combat racism, the role of youth, the world social situation
and policies and programmes relating to crime prevention,
disabled persons, refugees, the campaign against drugs and the
international Covenant on Human Rights and the establishment of a
New International Economic Order.
India's concerns were reiterated at the 41st session of the
Commission on Human Rights held in February-March 1985 in Geneva.
Human Rights violations in Southern Africa, Namibia and Palestine
were once again highlighted.
A number of new initiatives in the human rights field were
taken during the 38th session of the Sub-Commission on Prevention
of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities held in Geneva in
August 1985. Another resolution in the context of the Bhopal
tragedy under the item Human Rights and Technological
Developments, adopted by consensus, underscored the objective of
having uniformity of standards in the application of
technological processes in all parts of the world so that there
was no discrepancy between the standards adopted in developed and
developing countries. The Resolution requires the Secretary
General to place before the Sub-Commission next year information
on the existing practices followed by transnational corporations
and enterprises regarding disclosure by them of all the
information at their disposal on the actual and potential hazards
of their promsses, products and technologies to governments,
employees, consumers and the general public.
Administrative Matters
The Indian delegation to the Fifth Committee played a
constructive role in keeping with the realities confronting the
United Nations on budgetary and administrative issues as well as
in helping the developing countries to evolve positions which
would be more balanced.
India was one of the countries involved in assisting in the
rediafting of the socalled "Japanese proposal" to "review the
efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the
UN" as well as in obtaining a consensus for the resolution as it
was finally adopted. This resolution now sets up a Group of
Inter-Govemmental Experts who in the next 8 months would look
into matters which would assist in further improving the
efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the
United Nations. The developing countries would have to look
seriously at methodologies which could be proposed to the, Groutp
to assist in achieving a greater degree of political balance
while preserving thd basic principles of the UN Charter.
In the area of personnel questions, India's efforts were
directed towards adoption of a resolution which, inter alia,
requested the Secretary General to submit to the General Assembly
at its 41st session proposals for reviewing the system of
desirable ranges for the geographical distribution of staff with
a view to achieving a balanced application of all factors
relevant to the calculation of the desirable ranges.
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An item that evoked a keen debate in the Sixth Committee was
the report of the Secretary General on 'Measures to Prevent
International Terrorism'. The delegates of the Sixth Committee
voiced concern at the increasing incidence of acts of
international terrorism and were unanimous in condemnation
thereof. A draft resolution was adopted by the Sixth Committee by
a vote of 118 to 1, with 2 abstentions. Unlike in the past, this
year there was a remarkable change in the attitude-of member
states in dealing with this menance, for all acts, methods and
practices of terrorism, wherever and by whomsoever committed,
were unequivocally condemned as criminal. India played a vital
role in moulding a compromise between Cuba and Colombia on the
one side and the West on the other side.
The Sixth Committee also held a lengthy debate on the draft
Code of Offences against the peace and security of Mankind.
Although it was inscribed as a separate item, it was discussed
together with another item entitled "Report of the International
Law Commission on the work of its thirty-seventh session" because
the International Law Commission itself had prepared the Draft
Code of Offences against the Peace and Security of Mankind. In
the course of the debate, India condemned terrorism in all forms
wherever and by whomsoever committed and also made a reference to
mercenary schools where terrorists were trained. The statement by
India was well received.
Specialised Agencies
India was elected to the Commission on Human Rights during the
first regular session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
held in May 1985 in New York.
At the invitation of the ILO, the Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv
Gandhi, addressed the 71st International Labour Conference in
Geneva on 17 June 1985. Stressing the importance of the ILO's
contribution in advancing the cause of social justice, the Prime
Minister expressed the hope that the work which ILO had initiated
for the weak, the unemployed and the unorganised would be further
enlarged.
During the year India continued to participate activcly in ILO
activities. A tripartite delegation from India led by Shri T.
Anjaiah, former Minister of Labour, attended the 71 st session of
the International Labour Confernee held in Geneva in June 1985. A
representative of the Government of India chaired the ILO
Governing Body till the expiry of his term in June 1985.
India contributed in particular to the working of WHO
programme on Human Reproduction, Tropical Diseases Research, and
Diarrhoeal Diseases. A delegation led by Shrimati Mohsina Kidwai,
Minister of Health and Family Welfare, participated in the
deliberations of the 38th World Health Assembly held in Geneva in
May 1985.
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Nassau-1985
The Commonwealth Heads of Government met at Nassau (the
Bahamas) from 16-22 November 1985. There was an impressive
gathering of leaders from Commonwealth countries specially
Africa, the Caribbean and South Asia. Among the important leaders
who attended were the Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada,
Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe
while Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zambia were iepresented by their
Presidents. India was represented by Prime Shri Rajiv Gandhi.
Consideration of possible Commonwealth action against South
Africa in order to pressurise the racist South African regime to
dismantle apartheid and vacate its illegal occupation of Namibia
dominated the Nassau CHOGM.
The Prime Minister's key note address was the point of
departure for the suggestion made at CHOGM that leaders adopt a
separate declaration on a world order. A working group at Foreign
Ministers' level, chaired by India's Foreign Minister and
consisting of UK, Malaysia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Guyana, Canada and
New Zealand prepared the draft which led to the adoption of the
Nassau Declaration of World Order.
Activities of the Non-aligned Movement
During the period under review, the Movement of Non-aligned
Countries remained actively seized of developments in various
parts of the world, particularly in Southern Africa, the Middle
East, Central America and Cyprus. In conformity with and in
pursuance of the decisions taken by it at the Seventh Summit, the
Movement focused efforts towards promotion of nuclear
disarmament, and international economic cooperation for
development.
Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi, as the Chairman of the
Movement, addressed a special Plenary Meeting of Non-aligned
Countries at the United Nations Headquarters on 22 October 1985
on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the United Nations.
The Non-aligned caucus in the Security Council, consisting of
Non-aligned members of the Council in 1985 including India,
played an important and dynamic role in the, deliberations of the
Council on several issues. it also took a number of follow-up
measures in the implementation of the Action Programme for
Economic Cooperation adopted by Seventh Conference of Heads of
State or Government of Non-aligned Countries held at New Delhi in
March 1983.
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Within the Security Council the Non-aligned countries actively
participated in the consideration of the situation in the Middle
East, developments in Lebanon and in the occupied Palestinian and
Arab territories and expressed grave concern over the
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continuing Israeli policy of establishing illegal settlements in
the occupied territories and the widespread and frequent
violations by Israel of the rights of the Palestinian people in
contravention of the relevant General Assembly and Security
Council resolutions as well as established norms of international
law. They called for a just and comprehensive solution of the
Middle East problem on the basis of the inalienable right to
self-determination of the Palestinian people and their right to a
home-land.
The Coordinating Bureau held an urgent session in New York on
6 March 1985 to consider the situation in the areas occupied by
Israel in Southern Lebanon, the Western Bekaa and the Rashaya
district. In the communique adopted on the occasion the Bureau
expressed its grave concern at the deteriorating situation which
threatened peace and security in these areas.
The Non-aligned Committee of Eight on Palestine met in New
Delhi on 20 April 1985 at Ministerial level. The Ministers were
given a comprehensive briefing by Mr. Yasser Arafat, Chairman of
the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization
on the current situation.
A special plenary meeting of the Movement was held in New York
on 17 May 1985 in which the Foreign Minister of Argentina made a
statement on the Question of the Malvinas Islands.
The Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-
aligned Countries held at New Delhi had mandated the Coordinating
Bureau of the Movement to closely monitor events in the Central
American subregion. A group of 'Friends of the Chairman,'
comprising 13 countries, with a purely advisory role and
subordinated to the Bureau itself, was constituted by the Bureau
in 1984 to assist the Chairman in following the evolving
situation in Central America. In response to an invitation from
the Foreign Minister of Nicaragua, sevral members of the group
visited Nicaragua from 29 March to 1 April 1985. The Chairman of
the Coordinating Bureau submitted a report to the Bureau on the
visit.
An urgent meeting of the Coordinating Bureau was held on 26
July 1985 to consider the latest developments relating to the
situation in Central America, particularly in and around
Nicaragua. The meeting adopted a communique on the occasion.
The Deputy Foreign Minister of Nicaragua, Mr. Victor Hugo
Tinoco. addressed a meeting of the Coordinating Bureau on 9
December 1985 and apprised members of the situation in and around
Nicaragua.
On 18 June 1985, the official spokesman of the Government of
India on behalf of the Chairman of the Movement, issued a
statement expressing concern over new 5 EA/35-9
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developments in the part of the Republic of Cyprus under foreign
occupation, in particular the holding of a "referendum" on 5 May
1985, the "Presidential elections" of 9 June 1985 and the
proposed "Parliamentary elections".
The Conference of Foreign Ministers of Non-aligned Countries
was held from 4 to 8 September 1985 at Luanda in Angola. The
Conference made an analysis and assessment of the current
international political and economic situation, and reviewed the
implementation of the decisions of the Seventh Summit Conference
of Heads of State or Government held in New Delhi and subsequent
Ministerial and other meetings of the Non-aligned Countries. The
Conference decided by consensus that the venue of the next summit
would be Harare.
A Commemorative meeting was held in New York on 13 September,
1985 to observe the Day of Non-alignment. The meeting was
addressed inter by the President of the General Assembly and the
Secretary General of the United Nations.
The Meeting of Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the Non-
aligned Countries to the Fortieth Session of the United Nations
General Assembly was held at New York on 1 October 1985.
The Movement's efforts to promote contacts amongst leaders for
addressing issues of concern to the international community led
to a proposal to urge summit-level participation on the occasion
of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations. This way in
keeping with the importance that the Non-aligned countries have
consistently accorded to the role of the United Nations. It was
also a natural follow-up measure to the New Delhi Declaration
which had called on the international community to observe 1985
as the Year of the United Nations. The unique gathering of a
significant number of world leaders at New York in October 1985
on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations
provided a valuable opportunity for interaction between Heads of
State or Government. Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi, who
attended the commemoration, besides meeting a large number of
leaders, addressed the United Nations General Assembly and a
special plenary meeting of Non-aligned countries.
A number of meetings of the Non-aligned were held in the
implementation of the Action Programme on Economic Cooperation
that was adopted at the New Delhi Summit.
The group of meetings of the Non-aligned countries in the
sphere of Standardisation Measurement and Quality Control was
held in New Delhi from 23 to 31 January 1985, The meetings
included (a) Second Meeting of Experts, (b) Fifth Meeting of the
Coordinating Countries, (c) Workshop on Standardisation and
Quality Assurance, and (d) Meetings of the Functional Groups. The
Meeting of the Coordinating Countries reviewed the composition of
the Functional Groups and sought to coordinate positions relating
to international organisations.
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An important development during the year was the finalisation
of the Statute of the Non-aligned Centre for Science and
Technology of the Non-aligned and other Developing Countries.
Several plenary meetings of the Movement were held at New York to
give the Statute its final shape. A Plenipotentiary Conference
was held in New York on 4 February 1985 to adopt the Final Act.
So far 25 countries have signed the Statute.
The ninth meeting of Coordinators of Non-aligned Countries in
the field of Health was held at Havana from 23 to 28 March 1985.
The ninth meeting of Health Ministers of Non-aligned Countries
was held in Geneva on 8 May 1985 during the 38th session of the
World Health Assembly. The meeting reviewed the progress made in
the implementation of the Strategies of Health for All by the
year 2000 and the items of the agenda of the 38th World Health
Assembly.
As recommended by the New Delhi Summit, the International
Centre for Public Enterprises (ICPE), Ljubljana, prepared a study
on the Role of Women in Development. This was to serve as a
reference in the preparations for the World Conference on Women
held in Nairobi. An open ended Ministerial-level meeting of the
Non-aligned and other Developing Countries was held in New Delhi
from 8 to 11 April 1985, prior to the World Conference on Women,
with a view to coordinating aspects of common interest.
A Ministerial Meeting of the Non-aligned Coordinators in the
field of Labour was held in Geneva, in June 1985, during the
Session of International Labour Organisation.
The second meeting of the Research and Information System of
Non-aligned Countries was held in New Delhi from 20 to 22
November 1985.
The Coordinating Bureau on 9 January 1985, established an
Action Committee to formulate a Plan of Action for a concrete
initiative by Non-aligned Countries for cooperation to meet
thecritical economic situation in Africa. The Action Committee
met on 21 February, 27 February and 6 March 1985. The Extra-
ordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau on the
Question of Namibia, heldin New Delhi from 19 to 21 April 1985,
adopted the reports of the Action Committee and the Plan of
Action of the Movement of Non-aligned Countries to meet the
Critical Economic Situation in Africa.
Offers!.of assistance have been received from Algeria,
Argentina, Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Libya,
Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru and Yugoslavia. The coordination
of these offers is being carried out by India in its capacity as
the Focal Point for the Plan of Action, The Focal Point is
presently coordinating the execution of 9 projects in 7 African
countries identified from the FAO compilation on the
Rehabilitation of Agriculture in Africa.
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The Conference of Foreign Ministers of Non-aligned Countries
held at Luand a, Angola, in September 1985, inter alia, discussed
the international economic situation. It also reviewed the state
of implementation of the Action Programme for Economic
Cooperation of the Non-aligned Countries and noted with
satisfaction the progress made towards its implementation since
the seventh Non-aligned Summit.
The Luanda Ministerial Meeting had taken clear decisions on
pursuing the implementation of the 7th Summit initiative for the
convening of an International Conference on Money and Finance for
Development and on measures to be pursued for resolving the
critical conditions arising out of the indebtedness of developing
countries. The objective was that at the 40th UN General
Assembly, the Group of 77 should try and achieve clear mandates
in both these areas. India was able to ensure that the directions
that had emerged out of the Luanda Ministerial meeting were
clearly and positively reflected in the programme of work of the
Group of 77, as incorporated in the Ministerial communique of the
Group of 77 adopted in relation to the 40th UN General Assembly.
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International Law : Developments and Activities
During 1985 the Preparatory Commission for the International
Sea-bed Authority and the International Tribunal for the Law of
the Sea (PREPCOM) continued its work. It held its third session
in two parts, viz., from 11 March to 4 April 1985 at Kingston,
Jamaica and from 12 August to 4 September 1985 in Geneva. India
was represented at both these sessions.
During both these sessions Chairman Warioba held extensive
informal consultations with concerned delegations including India
with a view to finding a solution to the problem of overlapping
of application area of the USSR with that of Japan and the USSR
with that of France, and for finding a viable mine site for
activities by the International Sea-bed Authority. While these
consultations were inconclusive it was agreed that the four
pioneer investors namely, India, France, Japan and the USSR will
meet in Geneva in December 1985 to further explore the
possibility of finding a solution to this problem. The four
pioneer investors met in Geneva from 2-6 December 1985 and have
made some progress, towards finding a solution to this vexed
problem.
The Informal Plenary of the PREPCOM completed the second
reading of the draft rules of procedure of the Assembly of the
International Sea-bed Authority and commenced consideration of
the draft rules of procedure of the Council of the Authority.The
four Special Commissions of the PREPCOM continued discussions of
the subjects allocated to them.
By a letter dated 10 june 1985 addressed to the Chairman of
the Preparatory Commission, the USSR had informed that the United
States had issued a licence to the
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Consortium Ocean Mining Associates, for exploration in the part
of the International Sea-bed area in the Pacific Ocean. In this
context the Preparatory Commission on 30 August 1985 adopted a
Declaration which was co-sponsored by the Group of 77. This
Declaration, inter alia, declared that any claim, agreement or
action regarding the International Sea-bed area and its resources
undertaken outside the Preparatory,Commission which is
incompatible with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and its
related resolutions shall not be recognised.
At its 40th Session the General Assembly of the United Nations
adopted a resolution on the Law of the Sea which inter alia took
note of the Declaration of 30 August 1985 of the Preparatory
Commission and called upon States to desist from taking actions
which undermine the Convention or defeat its object and purpose
and to observe the Provisions of the Convention when enacting
their national legislation. This resolution was co-sponsored by
53 States including India.
The Legal Sub-Committee of the UN Committee on the Peaceful
Uses of Outer Space held its 24th session in New York from 18
March to 4 April 1985 and considered legal questions concerning
remote sensing, nuclear power sources, defining outer space, and
use of geostationary orbit.
Regarding legal implications of remote sensing of earth from
space, the Sub-Committee continued work on, this item using among
other things, texts submitted by France, Brazil, Chile and Kenya.
By the end of the deliberations of the working group, its
chairman was able to present a working document containing a set
of remote sensing principles which could provide a basis for an
agreement by consensus in the near future.
On the nuclear power sources, the Working Group considered
questions of assistance to States and notification prior to re-
entry of a space object with a nuclear power source on board.
Tentative agreement was reached on supplementing two items in the
format for notification of the malfunctioning of a space object
with a nuclear power source on board, a format endorsed by the
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 1983.
Regarding the definition and delimitation of outer space some
delegations considered that the definition of outer space was
urgent in view of the fact that legal regimes applicable to air
space and outer space were radically different in nature. In
their view, the appropriate course was a multilateral agreement
which would establish a specific altitude as the upper limit of
airspace and the commencement of outer space. Other countries
said that such a definition or delimitation was at present
unnecessary, because the use for such a definition or
delimitation was inconclusive and such a boundary would be
arbitrary.
Regarding the question of geostationary orbit some delegations
stated that a special legal regime should be established for the
orbit . It was a limited natural established for the orbit . it
was a limited natural resource, as recognized by UNISPACE'82 and
Article 33 of the International Telecommunications
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Union (ITU) Convention, and ITU arrangements on the allocation of
orbital positions and related frequencies on a "first come, first
served" basis were unacceptable. They stated that the orbit was
approaching saturation with positions and related frequencies
occupied by only a few countries. Thus principles governing the
equitable use of the orbit by all countries needed to be
established by the UN in order that the ITU might make required
technical allocations of orbital positions and frequencies.
Equatorial countries said they had a special relation to the
orbit, which lay on the equatorial plane and was a unique natural
resource. While recognizing that all countries should have equal
and equitable opportunities for access to the orbit, they stated
that equatorial countries had special rights and responsibilities
with respect to segments of the geostationary orbit suprajacent
to their territories. There was no agreement on this item.
UNIDROIT (International Institute for Unification of Private
Law) is an intergovernmental organization situated in Rome. India
is a member of the Institute.
UNIDROIT convened the first session of its Committee of the
governmental experts for the preparation of a Convention on
International Financial Leasing from 15-19 April 1985, as also
the first session of its other committees of government experts
for the preparation of a Convention on Certain Aspects of
International Factoring from 22 to 26 April 1985 which discussed
the preliminary draft uniform rules on international financial
leasing and the draft uniform rules on certain aspects of
international factoring. India participated in both the meetings.
At the elections held during the fortieth session of the UN
General Assembly in December 1985, India was elected to the
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. During that
session Shri Samarendra Nath Sen of India was appointed to the
United Nations Administrative Tribunal after his election by the
Fifth Committee.
The Commission held its eighteenth session in Vienna from 3 to
21 June 1985. Thirty-three member States of the Commission,
including India, participated in this session. Although several
items were included in the agenda of the session, Most of the
time and attention of the Commission was devoted to the
finalisation of UNCITRAL model law on International Commercial
Arbitration which was finalised. The Commission also adopted text
of a model law on International Commercial Arbitration.
A list of treaties and international agreements signed by
India during 1985 is at Appendix II.
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FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS
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The world economy continues to be in a critical stage. Both
developing and developed countries have during the last few years
faced considerable hardship. The developing countries, have,
however, been the worst sufferers. Growth rates of most countries
remain depressed; the debt burden of many developing countries
continues to be at crushing levels; most developing countries are
experiencing stagnant or declining growth rates, The external
environment for them is both harsh and adverse. Concessional
flows for development have declined. Global liquidity has
decreased and there is a hardening in the conditionality of
international financial institutions. Barriers against exports
from developing countries have increased. Commodity prices in
real terms are at low levels. As a result, the development
process of most developing countries has been seriously affected.
The economies of a few industrialised countries have recently
shown signs of recovery but this has had little impact on the
rest of the world. Moreover, in the U.S.A. there are already
signs of an overall economic downturn in growth and production
(in the first quarter of 1985). The durability of the recovery
is, therefore, uncertain. A significant dimension in the current
crisis is the serious erosion of the UN system and multilateral
development and financial institutions, particularly IDA. The
dialogue between developed and developing countries, despite the
best efforts of the latter, has made little or no headway.
The response of the international community to this continuing
crisis has proved inadequate. While the concept of
interdependence has been given recognitioneven at summits of
industrialised countries --there has been little coherent or
coordinated international action to provide impetus to the
process of development. Unfortunately there has been a weakening
of the existing mechanisms of international cooperation for
development. This has manifested itself in a growing tendency for
major industrial countries to seek unilateral or bilateral
solution for their immediate problems and a reduction of support
for multilateral institutions in the fields of development,
finance and trade.
Non-aligned and other developing countries have sought in a
number of ways during the year under review to reverse this trend
and to strengthen international economic cooperation.
The Seventh Summit of the Movement of Non-aligned Countries
held in New Delhi in 1983 had made a number of far-reaching
proposals to deal with the crisis. The
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Economic Declaration of the Seventh Summit had suggested a three
pronged strategy for promoting international economic cooperation
i.e launching of global negotiations;(ii) adoption of programme
of immediate measures in the areas of money and finance, trade
and raw materials, energy and food; and (iii) intensification of
economic cooperation among developing countries.
The most far-reaching proposal was the call for the convening
of International Conference on Money and Finance for Development
with universal participation aimed at meeting effectively the
development and other financial requirements of the international
economy particularly those of the developing countries and the
need for growth oriented structural adjustments. A high level
group set up by the late Prime Minister in her capacity as
Chairperson of the Movement of Non-aligned countries developed
this proposal and examined the substantive and procedural issues
in this regard.
During the year under review meetings of the Ministers of the
Movement of Non-aligned countries and the Group of 77 emphasised
the importance of convening the International Conference on Money
and Finance for Development with universal participation and in
this context expressed appreciation for the initiative taken by
the Chairperson of the NAM in setting up the Expert Group. The
Group of 77 Ministerial Meeting of October 1985 called for
initiation during the 40th session of the General Assemmbly of
the preparatory process for convening the International
Conference, urging the utilisation of all relevant studies and
proposals.
India, as Chairman of the Inter-Governmental Group of 24
(Finance Ministers of developing countries in the World Bank and
IMF) during 1984-85, was able to generate support for the NAM
proposal in the communique of the Group of 24 at its Ministerial
meeting in April 1985.
The meetings of the Interim and Development Committees of the
IMF and world Bank in April 1985 and October 1985, however, did
not make much headway on the substantive issues of concern to
developing countries. Some positive decisions were, however,
taken on specific issues such as the decision to call for an
expanded role for World Bank and a firm time-table for IDA VIII
and to examine the reports of G-10 and G-24 on the International
Monetary and Financial systems.
This was not surprising in view of the fact that the Annual
Summit meeting of the 7 major industrialised nations in Bonn in
May 1985 did not reflect any substantive progress on issues of
concern to developing countries in the sphare of international
economic relations. The Summit Declaration recognised the concept
of inter dependance between North and South but paid service only
to the need for maintaining and, if possible, increasing the flow
of resources including financial development assistance to the
third world countries. IDA VII found no mention at all. The focus
of the Summit was on the proposal for a New Round of Multilateral
Trade Negotiations which
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was put forward by some major industrialised countries and on
which there was a broad agreement among the Seven that these
should start as soon as possible.
The U.S.A. supported by major industrialised countries has
been making determined efforts to start a New Round of Trade
Negotiations under the aegis of GATT which would also include new
areas particularly trade in services. Developing countries
were opposed to this proposal as they maintained that the
unfinished work of the last round, presently taken up by GATT, be
completed as also commitments on 'stand. still' and 'roll back'
on protectionism fulfilled. Developing countries also had
reservations on the inclusion of new areas particularly trade in
services and others such as trad related aspects of investments.
At a special meeting of the GATT Contracting Parties in
September 1985 and the annual session of GATT in November 1985,
developing countries were pressured into accepting the setting up
of a Preparatory Committee to consider the agenda, modalities and
other issues relating to the Proposed Naw Round of Trade
Negotiations in GATT.
To enable an in-depth examination of the issues in the
Proposed New Round and with a view to a better coordination of
positions of developing countries, the Ministry of External
Affairs assisted the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in
organising an international colloquium titled the "Proposed New
Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and Developing
Countries"in December 1985. The colloquium provided a valuable
forum for informal exchanges at the level of senior officials
from important developing countries and concerned international
organisations, as well as experts in their individual capacities,
on the subject. The colloquium recommended that the trade issues
be considered in the wider perspective of issues in the world
economy as a whole that specific priorities be set by developing
countries in the Proposed New Round and that services should not
be included in the GATT. It emphasised the need for continuous
inter-action among the developing countries on the subject.
The Commonwealth Summit of October 1985 reviewed developments
in the world economy and specific issues in the North-South
Dialogue. The Summit recognised the need for stimulating the
North-South Dialogue. It considered it important "to develop an
active dialogue on the functioning of international monetary and
financial system" and noted that the Spring 1986 meeting of the
Development and Interim committees would provide an opportunity
for in-depth examination of the relevant issues, in the light of
the Reports by the Group of 10 (Finance Ministers of developed
countries) and the Group of 24 (Finance Ministers of developing
countries). The Commonwealth Summit affirmed the importance of a
New Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations in the GATT in
helping to restore confidence in-the multilateral system and
emphasised the importance of the interests of participants being
taken into account and respect for the principles enshrined in
the Tokyo Round.
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Increasing attention continues to be paid to greater
cooperation among developing countries both in the Group of 77
and in the Non-aligned Movement. Intensive efforts are underway
within the Group of 77 to implement the
Caracas Programme of Action. One of the important initiatives
taken under ECDC, in which considerable progress has been made,
is the establishment of Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP)
for which negotiations have already begun. India hosted a
Ministerial level meeting in New Delhi on 25-26 July 1985. At
this Ministerial Meeting in which over 70 countries participated
with 30 at the level of Ministers, significant political impetus
was provided to the establishment of the GSTP through concrete
progress on specific issues such as the establishment of a time-
table for launching GSTP recommendation
for an across the board tariff cut upto 10 % and the decision to
further political level review meetings to maintain the momentum.
The Ministerial meetirg also adopted a Declaration on the
international trading environment as it affects trade of
developing countries.
An important initiative in the area of ECDC is the proposal
for the establishment of a Bank of Developing Countries. This
proposal has, however, been stalled as some countries have taken
the view that there is no need for the establishment of a new
financing institution at this stage.
Another important initiative of the Group of 77 is the
establishiment of a MultiSectoral Information Network (MSIN) of
developing countries. The objective of the MSIN is to provide a
network which would facilitate exchange of development oriented
information among the developing countries in all major sectors
of economic activity. Priority has been placed on the TCDC
component in a proposed pilot project. The MSIN would also
complement information systems in the UN such as INRES and TIPS.
The MSIN project has been examined and developed through several
meetings of experts as well as at inter-governmental level. We
are also taking steps to ensure that there is the required inter-
action between the MSIN and the Research and Information System
(RIS) of the Governments of Non-aligned countries.
The Inter-governmental Follow-up and Coordination Committee
held its 4th meeting at Jakarta from 19-23 August 1985. This
meetiiig of senior officials reviewed progress in the
implementation of the Caracas Programme of Action. Several
important recommendations were made especially to provide impetus
to the GSTP and the MSIN
The Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 in October l985
strongly reaffirmed the belief in collective self-reliance of
Non-aligned and developing countries and called for specific
steps on MSIN, GSTP and TCDC.
The Movement of Non-aligned countries in the context of its
endeavours to promote collective self-reliance among Non-aligned
and developing countries organised a series of meetings in
diverse spheres of economic cooperation contained in its Action
Programme for Economic Cooperation. India played a leading role
in the
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furtherance of this objective especially in view of her current
Chairmanship of NAM ECDC had been a major issue before the
Seventh Non-aligned Summit. The Summit adopted the important
Declaration on collective self-reliance and reviewed the
implementation of the Non-aligned Programme of Action. The NAM
Ministerial Conference at Luanda sought to further stimulate
action on ECDC.
India hosted the Second Conference of the Research and
Information System of Non-aligned and developing countries in
November 1985. This Conference provided a valuable opportunity
for an exchange of views on important issues in multilateral
economic cooperation, cooperation among developing countries and
the problems of the least developed and low income countries
especially in Africa. The Conference made important
recommendations on these issues keeping in view preparations
forthe Eighth Non-aligned Summit. It also decided to constitute a
Committee of Six designated institutions of the coordinating
countries in this sphere. This represented an important step
towards a net-work of the research and information institutes of
Nonaligned and developing countries to bring about closer
coordination of economic research and information in the South.
In addition India hosted meetings in specific sectors of the
Action Programme such as sports.
India's keenness to promote cooperation with countries in Asia
and Africafound expression in bilateral schemes of assistance
under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)
Programme operated by the Ministry of External Affairs. This
programme supplements multilateral schemes such as the Colombo
Plan and the Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan. The
ITEC Programme, which was launched in 1964 with an outlay of Rs.
4.46 lakhs, has steadily expanded. It now covers nearly 60
countries and has a budget allocation of Rs. 9.00 crores for
1985-86.
The main forms of technical cooperation under ITEC Programme
are providing training in India, deploying Indian experts abroad,
undertaking feasibility and technoeconomic studies, financing
visits of economic delegations, organising workshops and supply
of equipment. The area of cooperation covers such diverse fields
as agriculture, natural resources, industry, education, foreign
trade promotion, banking and insurance, in-service training
courses etc.
|
During 1985-86, 700 slots were earmarked for nominees of
developing countries for training in specialised Indian
institutions, and nearly 150 Indian experts were in position in
developing countries on short or long-term assignments. Some of
the other ITEC activitieduring 1985-86 were: feasibility studies
in Ethiopia in the fields of water resources, agriculture and
livestock; visits of teams of experts to Ethiopia, the
philippines and Vietnam in the fields of education, smallscale
inoustries and personnel training respectively; and provision of
consultancy services for building a conference complex in
Seychelles.
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Among the goods supplied during 1985-86 or the supply of which
was in the pipeline were a tractor with a complete Ploughing set
to People's Democratic Republic of Yemen; spinning wheels to
Sudan; equipment for an industrial project, diesel generating
sets and musical instruments to Afghanistan; sport goods to
Jamaica, Montessarrat and Fiji; bicycles to Vietnam; and
medicines to Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Victnam and Loas. A proposal
for supply of irrigation pumps to Laos is being processed.
Delegations received during the year included one from Ethiopia
in the fields of banking and mining and from Laos in the field of
industrial development.
The objective of strengthening Technical Cooperation among
Developing Countries is also pursued through the Ministry playing
an active role in international organisations. During 1985-86
representatives of the Ministry made significant contribution to
meetings on TCDC organised by UNDP in New York and by ESCAP in
Bangkok where certain specific suggestions made by Indian
delegations were well received. A representative of the Ministry
also led an Indian delegation to meeting organised by UNIDO in
Brundi for industrial development of that country where offers of
industrial collaboration and technical support in identified
sectors were made by India.
India's assistance to famine-affected African countries was
stepped up. The supply of 100,000 tonnes of wheat announced last
year was completed and action initiated for a further supply of
foodgrains worth Rs. 12.5 lakhs.
An Indian delegation led by Secretary (ER) in the Ministry of
External Affairs attended the annual Consultative Committee
meeting of the Southern African Development Coordination
Conference (SADCC) in Harare in January 1986 and offered
significant assistance over a five-year periodito the frontline
states, primarily in the field of agriculture, industry,
transport, energy and manpower training. These concrete offers of
support were greatly appreciated. India is already involved in
several projects in cooperation with ECA (Economic Commission for
Africa), some of which have already been completed. At the ECA
meeting in April 1985, India uncertook to implement a new project
for development of small scale industries in certain African
countries in the context of the Industrial Development Decade for
Africa.
The Ministry played an active role in the deliberations of
Economic Joint Commission with various countries including
Mauritius, Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Germany, Afghanistan,
Qatar and Iran. In the Joint Commission with Mauritius, further
promotion of technical cooperation and supply of equipment in the
fields of small scale industry, meteorology, education and health
services were agreed upon. In the Joint Commission with Ethiopia
the field of cooperation was also significantly stepped up.
The Ministry assisted foreign governments in recruiting Indian
experts, on bilateral basis. It also made its contribution
towards promotion of Indian economic
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interests through its representation in bodies such as EXIM Bank,
Export Credit and Guarantee Corporation (ECGC), Federation of
Indian Engineering Organisation (FIEO), Indian Institute of
Foreign Trade (IIFT), Project and Equipment Corporation (PEC),
Overseas Construction Council of India (OCCI) etc. and was
involved in various activities and policies relating to the
country's foreign economic policy in diverse fields.
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POLICY PLANNING AND RESEARCH
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The Policy Planning Division of the Ministry continued to
function under the overall guidance of Foreign Secretary and the
supervision of an Additional Secretary. During the year under
review, the Policy Planning Division interacted with other
Divisions of the Ministry and its officials participated on a
regular basis in various inter-Ministerial. meetings.
The Division continued to maintain contacts with the Area
Study Centres of various Universities where scholars are involved
in research and study of international affairs. A number of
seminars and symposia were partly financed by the Policy Planning
Division and among them particular mention may be made of the
following :-
(i) "Causes of Tension and Conflict in the Region with main focus
on Afghanistan, India and Pakistan," organised by the Indian
Centre for Regional Affairs, New Delhi, held on 25 August 1985;
(ii) Seminar on UNESCO on the occasion of the visit of the
Director General of UNESCO, organised by India International
Centre, New Delhi, held in December 1985-January 1986;
(iii) Symposium of Young Workers on "Peace Disarmament,
Development and International Security," organised by the United
Schools Organisation of India, New Delhi, in December 1985;
(iv) "Political and Social Tensions in the Countries of South
Asia" organised by the Indian Centre for Regional Affairs, New
Delhi, held in December 1985; and
(v) "Indo-Bhutanese Relations" by the Institute of Asian Studies,
Hyderabad.
The Division has also extended financial assistance towards
defraying the cost of the preparations for the XI World Congress
on Sociology, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, in August 1986.
The Division also commissioned a study on "Problems of Foreign
Students in India," by the Indian Institute of Management,
Ahmedabad. The study is expected
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to be completed this year. Two studies commissioned in 1982-83,
one on "India's Foreign Policy : Issues and Problems during
1980's" entrusted to the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi
and the other on "India's Principal Concerns in International
Negotiating Issues in 1980's," undertaken by Indian Council for
Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi, have
since been completed.
Historical Division provides research input into the working
of the working of the Ministry. It prepares background papers on
various current international developments and analyses these
developments in the perspective of the present situation. It is
also responsible for providing the historical and technical input
in boundary questions. All the maps on India published abroad are
monitored for their depiction of India's external boundary and
wherever a case of wrong depiction comes to notice the matter is
taken up suitably with the concerned organisations to ensure
remedial action.
To support the research efforts a well stocked Library exists
which has over one hundered thousand books and documents in its
collection. During 1985 alone 1800 books, 400 maps, 600 pamphlets
and 10 reels of microfilms were added. The Library subscribes to
558 periodicals (442 foreign and 116 Indian) besides 37 daily
newspapers (25 foreign and 12 Indian). Back-files of Bangladesh
Observer (Dhaka), Guardian (Rangoon), Sun (Colombo), Dawn
(Karachi), Pakistan Times (Rawalpindi), China Daily (Beijing),
Renmin Ribao (Beijing), Egyptian Gazetted (Cairo), Suna
(Khartoum), Standard (Nairobi), The Times (London), The
International Herald Tribune (Hong Kong), Izwestia (Moscow) are
being maintained.
The Library regularly issues a monthly Chronicle of Events,
Foreign Affairs Documentation Bulletin and annotated Monthly list
of Books added to the Library.
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EXTERNAL PUBLICITY
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Coverage on India in foreign media seemed to be marked by a
more positive tone and of a more understanding nature than during
the previous years. The manner in which the nation has rallied
following the tragedies of the previous year was widely noted.
India's efforts to improve relations with neighbouring countries,
her active role as the Chairman of NAM in promoting an end to
colonialism in Namibia, disarmament and the New International
Economic Order as also the attempts made to tackle contentious
issues within the region by close and friendly contacts with
neighbouring countries, and, internally, the Punjab and Assam
accords contributed to this process. The External Publicity
Division (XP Division) buttressed this positive projection in
media abroad by supply of high quality print and audio visual
publicity material. Facilities were also provided in India to
foreign media personnel.
The accords reached on the Punjab and Assam and the elections
there were widely publicised. All restrictions on visit to the
Punjab by accredited foreign correspondents were lifted.
Necessary facilities were also given to foreign correspondents to
cover the elections in Assam.
135 media personnel from the participating countries of the
Six-Nation Summit in New Delhi (Argentina 32, Greece 46, Mexico
48, Sweden 5 and Tanzania 2) joined the resident foreign and
Indian press corps in New Delhi to cover the Summit on Nuclear
Disarmament in January 1985 and were given full facilities.
Consequently, there was sizeable publicity for the Summit in
India and abroad, highlighted by a live telecast of the
proceedings and the joint press conference, in various capitals.
A comprehensive pamphlet on the Summit was prepared and widely
distributed abroad through our Missions.
A large number of foreign and Indian media personnel who
included 26 journalists/cameramen who had come from abroad (8
from Yugoslavia, 3 from Pakistan, 3 from Nigeria and the rest
from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Doha) covered the
Extra-ordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of
the Non-aligned Countries on Namibia. For catering to their need
of photo opportunities, supply of copies of transcript of
speeches, fixing of interviews with dignitaries, etc. a media
centre at Vigyan Bhavan appropriate for such a large conference
was set up with the help of the Press Information Bureau. Apart
from the daily briefings, special high level briefing was
arranged on the eve of the meeting. A Pamphlet entitled "Non-
aligned Movement
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during India's Chairmanship" and a press release entitled
"Background on the Question of Namibia" were distributed by XP
Division. Doordarshan was assisted by us in organising many
special programmes relating to the NAM meeting and XP Division
arranged for a daily round-up on Doordarshan. Doordarshan offered
daily capsules over the satellite on the proceedings of the
meeting which were picked up by a number of NAM countries.
The XP Division expanded its network of communications to keep
our Missions informed on matters of contemporary interest in
India, relations with other countries as well as on important
political, economic, scientific, cultural and technological
developments in India through twice daily transmissions. During
the year, 15 more missions were added thus increasing the total
number of missions/posts covered on a daily transmissions basis
to 54. In addition, 34 missions are receiving bi-weekly press
telexes, and 3 missions are covered by press cables.
The "Indian and Foreign Review," a fortnightly magazine, in
colour, and its French counterpart, "Courrier de L'Inde," the
monthly "Foreign Affairs Record" as well as the periodic
compilations of the Prime Minister's speeches on foreign policy
were separately brought out regularly. Pamphlets on Prime
Minister's visits to USSR, USA, Egypt and Algeria were also
brought out as were special publications on the Six-Nation Summit
and 40th anniversary of the UN.
XP Division purchased "Hip Hip Hurray," "Sagar Sangam" and
"Daigaya Mukalu" children's film-all feature films-and many
documentary films which included "Everest 84," highlighting the
achievements of Kumari Bacchendari Pal and the full set of the
films produced by the Films Division on India's freedom struggle.
Film Weeks were organised by our Missions in Tokyo, Seoul, Suva,
Lisbon, the Hague, Antananarivo and Dhaka, with the help of XP
Division.
XP Division organised the visit abroad of two professors from
the Film and Television Institute, Pune, and also supplied
required film material for an Indian Film Seminar organised by
our Mission at Dhaka. Video and audio cassettes of the India
magazine programme covering topical developments and suitable
entertainment programmes were supplied weekly to 63 missions.
Video Cassette Recorders and Colour TVs were sanctioned to the
Information Wings of 30 missions for monitoring coverage on
India. Video material on achievements of Indian women was
supplied for screening during the International Women's
Conference in Nairobi in July 1985. Indira Priyadarshini Photo
Exhibition was sent to our missions in Algiers and Cairo on the
occasion of the Prime Minister's visit to these countries apart
from the regular supply of photographs and transparencies to our
missions abroad. Photos for Exhibitions on the occasion of the
40th anniversary of the UN and the SAARC Pavillion at the Indian
International Trade Fair, 1985, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi
were also provided.
-68>
The XP Division continued to provide facilities to media
representatives from abroad for doing their work. During the
nine-month period ending 31 December 1985, apart from catering to
the resident foreign and Indian media representatives accredited
to the Press Information Bureau, about 400 foreign media
representatives who came on the occasion of important
international conferences held in New Delhi or whenever
theyaccompanied visiting Heads of State/Government were catered
to. Similarly, complete logistic arrangements with the help of
our missions abroad were made for the large media contingent
which accompanied the Prime Minister on his visits to the Soviet
Union, USA, UK, France, Oman, Vietnam, Japan, Bangladesh, New
York and Nassau so that they could transmit their
despatches/photographs and films speedily back to India for
publication. Rules governing the entry of foreign television and
film documentary teams have been considerably streamlined.
Producers are no longer required to give an undertaking that
their films will be released only after prior viewing by us, and
the lead time for clearing applications has been reduced to three
weeks from the previous 6-8 weeks. This liberalisation has had a
beneficial effect in that it has removed some irritants. At the
same time in administering these liberalised rules every care is
being taken that there is no abuse of those rules.
The meeting of Sub-commission III on Information (including
Social Sciences), Culture and Sports of the Indo-Pak Joint
Commission was held in New Delhi during the period 2-4 July 1985.
Consequent on the decisions taken, the "Times of India"
correspondent has taken up his position in Pakistan and similarly
a "Jung" correspondent from Pakistan has started functioning in
India in addition to the PTI correspondent in Pakistan and the
Associated Press of Pakistan's correspondent in India. All India
Radio and Radio Pakistan are also exchanging correspondents.
A three-member Indian delegation attended the first
coordinating committee meeting of the Non-aligned News Agencies
Pool (NANAP) at Belgrade. XP Division assisted the organisers of
the Sixth General Assembly of the Asian Pacific News Agency held
in New Delhi during the period 27-30 March 1985.
The XP Division continued to subscribe to the feature news
services of news agencies and commissioned special articles on
the occasion of Republic and Independence Days for dissemination
abroad. The publication of special supplements on India on
National occasions were also facilitated.
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|
CULTURAL RELATIONS
|
Top |
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations functions as the
principal agency for promoting India's cultural relations with
other nations.
As part of its exchange programme the Council received around
50 distinguished scholars, artists, writers and intellectuals
from countries including Bangladesh, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan,
Thailand, UK and USA.
Around 10 foreign performing troupes including the 26-member
Paris Opera Ballet from France, the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet
Company, the Chinese Acrobatic troupe, the 12-member Gypsy Group
and the Shostakovich Quartet from the Soviet Union were sponsored
to perform in major Indian cities by the Council.
More than 100 individual visitors and 80 performing troupes
were sponsored by the Council to different parts of the world of
which the most important was P.C. Sorcar (junior) magic troupe to
USSR.
A VIP delegation headed by Shri Shiv Shankar, presently
Minister of Commerce was sponsored to visit China.
The following important exhibitions were mounted or sponsored
in part by the Council:-
Exhibition of Graphic Art
Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Paintings, Handicrafts and
Ceramics
Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art (Cholamandal), Madras
Exhibition of Indian Pottery
Exhibition of Handicrafts & Graphics
Exhibition of Water Colours and Pastels
Exhibition of Graphics (to coincide with the performance of
Gulbenkien Orchestra).
The Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for
the years 1983 and 1984 were presented. The award for the year
1983 was formally conferred on
-70>
Dr. Bruno Kriesky, former Federal Chancellor of Austria, and the
1984 award was formally conferred, posthumously, on the late
Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
Under the auspices of the Council, the Valmiki World Poetry
Festival was sponsored. The Council also collaborated with the
Department of Modern European Languages, Delhi University,
University Grants Commission, Indian Council for Historical
Research, Indian Council for Social Sciences Research and Sahitya
Akademi in organising an International Symposium on 'India and
World Literature'.
The Council's publications during the year included Poetry
Festival in India, Indian Poetry Today Vols. I & II, Fiji Mein
Pravasi Bharatiya (Hindi), The Ramayana (Spanish and French)
strip-serials, Jataka Tales (Monkey, Elephant and Deer stories).
The quarterly journals of the Council--Indian Horizons, Africa
Quarterly, Rencontre Avec L'nde (French), Papeles de la India
(Spanish), Thaqafatul Hind (Arabic) and Gagnanchal (Hindi) are
being regularly published.
The Council's activities as the Secretariat of the Indo-US
Sub-commission on Education and Culture received greater impetus
in view of the Festival of India in the USA in 1985. Pt. Ravi
Shankar from India was sponsored to perform at the inaugural
concert of the Festival. The Indo-US Sub-commission met in the
United States in June 1985.
ICCR's select publications were entered for display at the
following national and international book fairs and exhibitions
:-
|
(1) Exhibition of Indian Books in January 1985
Port of Spain
(2) Book Exhibition in Medan January 1985
(3) Cairo International Book Fair Jan-Feb. 1985
(4) Exhibition of Indian Books in Feb-March 1985
Nairobi,
(5) Literasia 85,Hongkong March 1985
(6) International Culture and Tourism March 1985
Fair at Ankara,
(7) London Book Fair April 1985
(8) International Book Fair, Warsaw May 1985
(9) International Book Fair, Manila June 1985
(10) Canada Book Fair June 1985
(11) Malaysia Book Fair July 1985
(12) Moscow International Book Fair Sept. 1985
(13) Singapore Festival Aug-Sept. 1985
-71>
|
Under the ICCR presentation programme, books, art objects,
musical instruments etc. were gifted to various countries.
Important days observed by the Council included OAU Day UN Day
(40th Anniversary) and the Foreign Students Day. The UN Day was
attended by the President and the Vice-President of India.
The Library and Reading Room attracted a great number of
scholars and research students.
Orientation courses, study tours and social get-togethers were
arranged by the Council for foreign students as in the past
years.
As part of the ICCR scheme of Chairs/Centres of Indian Studies
abroad, the Council deputed Indian teachers to various
institutions abroad. The ICCR Cultural Centres in Fiji, Guyana,
Suriname and Bonn continued to promote Indian life and culture by
organising music and dance concerts, seminars and dissemination
of information in various ways.
The Council continued to oversee the activities of foreign
cultural centres in India-the British Council Division and
Libraries, the Max Mueller Bhavans, the Alliance Francise and
House of Soviet Culture in Trivandrum.
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|
INDIANS OVERSEAS
|
Top |
A large number of persons of Indian origin have settled in
many countries all over the world and Indian nationals are also
travelling and residing abroad on an increasing scale. Over the
years people of Indian origin have made a significant and wide-
ranging contribution to the development of the countries of their
residence and played a useful role in their political, economic
and industrial development. Many developing countries have
acknowledged the "Indian factor" in their socio-economic
progress. In several industrialised countries Indian expatriates
have acquired a special visibility because of their professional
and technological skills. It is the consistent policy of the
Government of India that persons of Indian origin who have taken
the nationality of the countries of their domicile should
identify themselves with the country of their adoption. The
Government of India, however, continues to respond to their need
to maintain cultural contacts with India and remains alive to
their interests and welfare. it is also the duty and
responsibility of the Government of India to protect the rights
and interests of Indian citizens living abroad and take
appropriate action in this regard whenever called upon to do so.
Indian overseas, whether our nationals or not, expect a wide
variety of services from the Government of India. Our Missions
are frequently called upon to respond to queries or demands on a
wide-range of subjects, The Special Coordination Division has
been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs to handle the
work relating to Indians Overseas, including Indian citizens.
This Division is the nodal point to which references are made for
coordinated action. The need for such a nodal point had also been
increasingly felt by our Missions abroad and Indians overseas,
specially when several economic and/or political questions are
required to be tackled. Issus relating to Overseas Indians are
being dealt with in a number of Ministries and agencies of
Government of India. The Division keeps in close touch with these
Ministries, agencies and is engaged in collecting information on
issues pertaining to Indians Overseas so that a central pool of
information is built up.
It is being increasingly appreciated that Indians Overseas can
provide a bridge of understanding in the effort to strengthen
friendly relations between India and the country of their
domicile. They have demonstrated their potential as a reservoir
of skill, expertise, technology and investment for the benefit
both of the country of their adoption and the land of their
origin. To this end, Indian Missions abroad have been encouraged
to expand their cultural contacts with Overseas Indians generally
with due regard to the needs of the host countries, in addition
to the efforts that are being made by the Missions to render
effective services to Indian nationals overseas.
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|
PROTOCOL
|
Top |
During 1985, Heads of Missions of the following 20 countries
left India on the completion of their assignment :-
Vietnam, Denmark, Zaire, Saudi Arabia, France, Poland, USA,
Lebanon, Bulgaria, Iccland, Morocco, Ethiopia, Hungary,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, Chile, Mongolia, Bhutan and
Yogoslavia.
During the same period, Heads of Missions of the following 23
countries presented their credentials to the President of India
:-
Yemen Arab Republic, Belgium, Denmark, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Somalia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, France, Libya, Guinea, Chile,
Ethiopia, Lebanon, Malaysia, USA, Poland, Italy, Mongolia,
Bulgaria, Indonesia, Nicaragua, and Hungary.
The Ecuador and Morocco Governments closed their Missions in
New Delhi during 1985.
Nicaragua opened its first resident Mission in New Delhi in
November 1985. Mrs. Halima Lopez Sirker assumed charge as
Ambassador of Nicaragua to India on 18 November 1985.
A list of Heads of State/Government who visited India during
1985 is at Appendix XVI.
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|
PASSPORT, EMIGRATION AND CONSULAR SERVICES
|
Top |
As part of its continuing efforts to render better and faster
service to the public, further streamlining of procedures,
simplification of formalities and rationalisation of the
organisational set-up has been undertaken.
There are 21 Passport Offices under the control of the
Ministry of External Affairs. These offices are spread all over
India covering almost all the States. During the calendar year
1985, these offices earned a revenue of Rs. 9.39 crores through
passport fee and incurred an expenditure of Rs. 2.93 crores
towards office establishment resulting in a net revenue of Rs.
6.45 crores, to the Government. A detailed statement of revenue
and expenditure is given at Appendix VI. A Statement showing the
number of passports issued and miscellaneous services rendered
during 1985 is at Appendix VII.
Several administrative steps have been taken during the year
to help the passport applicants through simplification of the
application forms/procedures. The payment of the passport fee
through postal order instead of money orders was introduced, as
the postal orders are easily available in all denominations at
all Post Offices in India and also because of its easy accounting
procedure. To modernise the cash accounting in the Passport
Offices, Electronic Cash Registers (ECR) are being introduced.
Four ECRs have already been installed at the Passport Office,
Delhi. By the end of March 1986, ECRs will be installed at
Bareilly, Trichy and Calcutta. It is intended to instal ECRs in
the rest of the Passport Offices during the financial year 1986-
87.
A few legal measures have also been taken during the year to
rectify the inadequacies in the existing arrangements. A
notification under the Passport Act, 1967, has been issued to
exempt from Passport application, the Indian nationals who are to
be deported by the foreign governments but who do not hold valid
travel documents and refuse to apply to the concerned Indian
Missions forgrant of Emergency Certificate for travel to India.
Further, the Passport Rules, 1980, have been liberalised by
dispensing with the requirement of financial guarantee or in lieu
there of the verification certificate. The passport application
form has also been simplified and made computer compatible. With
these twin measurs it has become easier for the general public to
avail of the passport facility.
-75>
With a view to closely monitor the implementation of policy
aspects and also to have proper feed-back from the passport
offices on the practical aspects of the implementation of
procedures, the biennial Passport officers Conference was held
inNew Delhi from 21-23 November 1985. The Conference was attended
by Officers from the 21 Passport Offices, representatives from
the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of
Labour, Deptt. of Electronics etc., and the Security Printing
Press, Nashik. Apart from a review of the work being done in the
Passport Offices, the meeting also considered the planned
computerisation and introduction of Machine Readable Passports.
The biennial Conference has since been made an annual feature.
In the financial year 1985-86 steps have been taken to instal
computers at the four major Passport Offices, viz., Delhi,
Bombay, Cochin and Madras. Of the remaining Passport Offices in
the country, 12 offices shall be computerised during the
financial year 1986-87. Computerisation of the Missions abroad
shall also begin in 1986-87 to be largely completed by 1987-88.
Computerisation of the Passport Offices and the Missions
constitute the first step towards introduction of Machine
Readable Passports. The Government has decided to introduce
Machine Readable Passports by 1990-91 in phases. The Machine
Readable Passports will enable the Government to ensure
tamperproof security of the booklets, provide better quality
booklets to the passport applicants and will enable quicker
clearance at the international airports. The Machine Readable
Passports will be of the specifications prescribed by the
International Civil Aviation Organisation and International
Standard Organisation.
An important step in handling complaints from the public was
taken during the year by setting up of a Grievance Cell in all
the Passport Offices. A comparatively senior officer in each
Passport Office was designated to receive, enquire into and
dispose of complaints from the public on delays in issuing
passports. During the year 1985, approximately 1100 cases of
complaints regarding delay in issue of fresh passports or renewal
thereof were received in the Grievance Cell of the Ministry of
External Affairs against the Passport Offices in India. All these
complaints were referred to the concerned Passport Offices for
immediate necessary action, and about 400 complaints were settled
promptly by issuing passports and rendering the services desired
by the applicants. Reports on the complaints received from the
passport offices indicate that the reasons for delay were
generally non-receipt or late receipts of verification reports
and noncompliance of formalities by the applicants themselves.
The applicants are generally kept informed of the reasons for
delay. Renewal of passports or other miscellaneous services are
generally being rendered in three working days.
Fifty nine cases of appeal against the orders of impounding or
refusal of passport facilities to Indian nationals by the
Passport Offices were received. In about 28 cases, the Chief
Passport Officer himself heard the appeal and passed orders
allowing or rejecting the appeals. Other cases of appeal are in
the process of consideration.
Two hundred and twenty applications were received for issue of
Certificate of Identity to stateless persons, most of them being
Tibetan refugees. In most of the cases, 5 EA/85-12.
-76>
Certificates of Identity have been issued to the applicants.
About 130 requests were received from Indian passport holders for
grant of endorsements for South Africa. Almost all the cases have
been disposed of on merits.
During the year 1985, a total of 1487 cases of deportation of
Indians came to the notice of the Ministry. Of this, as many as
1295 were deported from UAE. The Indian Missions and Posts abroad
repatriated 269 persons who found themselves stranded in foreign
countries, after extending financial assistance wherever
necessary. Cases of 238 Indian nationals arrested in various
countries were received. The Missions have rendered all possible
consular assistance to the arrested persons. Steps were also
taken to facilitate their release and return to the country.
Eight hundred thirty five cases of death of Indian nationals
abroad came to the notice of the Ministry and action was
initiated to claim wage-dues and death compensation, if any, for
the legal heirs of the deceased, through the respective Indian
Missions. The Ministry also handled 174 cases of deaths of
foreign nationals in India.
As part of the consular work, 1,32,981 documents submitted by
the public for production to foreign authorities were attested
during the year. The attestation service is being rendered free
in India. Also, the attestation work is centralised and is done
only in New Delhi (Attestation Cell, Patiala House). To
decentralise the attestation facility, steps have been initiated
to enact suitable legislation.
The fee structure for consular services rendered abroad by our
Missions has been further simplified by introducing a uniform fee
for all Missions through a suitable amendment for the Diplomatic
& Consular Officer (Fees) Rules, 1949, and Foreign Marriage
Rules, 1970. The two categories of rates applicable earlier have
been merged into a single uniform schedule. Consular fee
structure has been further simplified.
The need for streamlining the functioning of our consular
sections abroad was emphasised at the highest level. The reports
concerning the action taken received from our Missions were
encouraging, though there is need to strengthen consular staff
due to the requirements of providing visas to Commonwealth and
other citizens.
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|
ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANISATION
|
Top |
Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister also held the charge of
Minister for External Affairs upto 25 September 1985 and during
this period Shri Khursheed Alam Khan remained Minister of State
in this Ministry. Thereafter Shri B.R. Bhagat took over as
Minister of External Affairs and Shri K.R. Narayanan became the
Minister of State. Shri G. Parthasarthi continued to be Chairman
of Policy Planning Committee with the rank of Cabinet Minister
during the year.
Shri M.K. Rasgotra relinquished charge as Foreign Secretary on
31 January 1985 and Shri Romesh Bhandari took over as the new
Foreign Secretary from that date. Shri A.P. Venkateswaran took
over as Secretary (East) from 31 January 1985. Dr. J.S. Teja
continued as Secretary (West) during the year. Shri J.C. Ajmani
relinquished charge of the post of Secretary in the Ministry on
posting abroad on 5 July 1985 and Shri N.P. Jain took over as
Secretary (ER). Shri A. P. Venkateswaran will take over as
Foreign Secretary when Shri Romesh Bhandari retires on 31 March
1986.
At Additional Secretary's level S/Shri S. K. Bhutani and I. S.
Chaddha relinquished charge on transfer abroad on 10 September
1985 and 27 September 1985 respectively. Shri Prem Shunker
continued as Additional Secretary (Pol). Shri A.K. Das assumed
charge of Additional Secretary (Coord.) on 7 February 1985 and
relinquished his charge on posting abroad on 8 November 1985.
Shri M. Dubey took over as Additional Secretary (South Asia) with
effect from 27 September 1985 and Shri P.L. Sinai took over as
Additional Secretary in the Ministry on 9 December 1985.
The total sanctioned strength of IFS and IFS(B) both at
Headquarters and in Indian Missions abroad is 3725. This included
44 officers of the Combined Research Cadre as also 30 officers of
the Interpreters Cadre. The cadre-wise strength is given in
Appendix VIII. In addition we have 1517 locally recruited staff
in our Missions/Posts abroad.
To project India's image abroad and to safeguard the national
interests we have 136 resident Missions/Posts abroad manned by
officers and staff from India. We also have Honorary Consulate
Generals/Consulates at 22 places. During the year we opened new
offices at Khulna in Bangladesh and Milan in Italy.
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In order to effect improvements in the working of our Missions
abroad, including review of foreign allowances, economy, staff
positions etc., Foreign Service Inspectors inspected our Missions
at Ankara, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Dar-es-Salaam,
Islamabad, Karachi, Kampala, Lisbon, Maputo, Nairobi, Paris,
Paramaribo, Rangoon and Santiago during the year.
The Committee of Secretaries had recommended the reduction of
staff in the Supply Wing of our High Commission in London from 85
to 24. Steps to implement this decision are being taken in
consultation with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of
Supply.
A list giving the number of officers of the Ministry of
External Affairs who have qualified in various foreign languages
is given at Appendix X.
The Welfare Unit of the Ministry continued to render
assistance of varied nature to all in matters of admission of
children of personnel of this Ministry to schools and colleges
and helped those in need of medical assistance at airports when
they return from abroad or locally when they need
hospitalisation. In addition to usual seats reserved for children
of our personnel in engineering and medical colleges, the
Ministry has been able to secure 10 new reserved seats in
polytechnics during the year. The unit also arranged grants-in-
aid for recreational facilities in Missions abroad and Passport
Offices in India. Ten officials of this Ministry died in harness
at a comparatively younger age between 42 to 45 mostly due to
heart failures. The unit rendered all possible help including
financial assistance from Staff Benefit Fund.
The Ministry took care to implement the various Government
directives on the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes employees of this Ministry. A special cell is functioning
to look after the interests of employees belonging to these
communities. A statement showing the total number of employees in
this Ministry in various groups and the number of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes among them is attached as per
Appendix XIII.
A new scheme of grant of free return passage to the serving
local employees in our Missions/Posts who have rendered a minimum
service of 25 years has been introduced during the year.
The Ministry continued to pursue its policy of acquiring and
constructing properties abroad for the Indian Missions and
personnel.
During the year under review properties were purchased at
Harare, New York, Amman and Paris and construction of Chancery
building and staff residences in Ankara and Embassy residence in
Port of Spain and Chancery in Lusaka were completed. The
construction of the Chancery buildings in Islamabad and Colombo
are at the final stages of completion.
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|
USE OF HINDI IN OFFICIAL WORK
|
Top |
During the year under review, the Ministry made constant
efforts for the propagation of Hindi abroad and for the use of
Hindi in official language policy of the Government of India and
in pursuance of the Official Language Act and rules framed
thereunder. At the Headquarters of the Ministry as well as in the
Regional Passport Offices and in the Missions and Posts abroad,
use of Hindi was further encouraged. In countries where there is
a sizeable population of Indian origin, constant efforts were
made for the propagation of Hindi.
With a view to monitoring the progress of Hindi in the
Ministry, meetings of the Official Language Implementation
Committee were held and various measures for the proper
implementation of the Official Language Rules and Act in the
Ministry were discussed. Official Language Implementation
Committees have also been constituted or are being constituted in
bigger Passport Offices. Quarterly Progress Reports regarding
progressive use of Hindi were called for and reviewed regularly
from the various sections of the Ministry and Passport Offices
and also from the Indian Missions abroad.
During the year under review, one of the important decisions
taken was to constitute the full fledged Hindi Advisory Committee
in the Ministry under the Chairmanship of Foreign Minister in
place of the sub-Committee of the Central Hindi Committee that
has thus far been functioning in this Ministry. A resolution to
this effect has been issued. The first meeting of the Committee
is also being convened shortly.
Officials posted in Indian Missions abroad make use of Hindi
messages from the President on the occasion of Republic Day and
Independence Day.
The Ministry of External Affairs traditionally issued all the
Letters of Appointment, Letters of Credence and Letters of
Recall, etc., of Heads of Missions posted abroad originally in
Hindi.
During the year under review, the Ministry prepared the Hindi
texts of Protocol/ Agreements entered into with the Foreign
Governments. In addition, the Hindi Section
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of the Ministry vetted the Hindi texts of the Protocols and
Agreements prepared by other Ministries.
During the year, the Hindi Section has also taken in hand the
translation of the literature of United Nations in pursuance of
the decision taken earlier in the Meetings of the sub-Committee.
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|
APPENDIX I Meetings/Conferences held under the aegis of NAM
|
Top |
Meetings/Conferences held under the aegis of the Non-aligned
Movement during 1985
|
Sl.Name of Meeting/Conference Venue Date
No.
1) (2) (3) 4)
1. Fifth Meeting of Coordinating Countries
in the field of Standardization on
Metrology and Quality Control New Delhi 23-31 January
2. Plenipotentiary Conference of
Non-aligned countries to consider and
adopt Final Act and Statute of the
Non-aligned Centre for Science and
Technology of Non-aligned and other
Developing Countries . New York 4 February
3. Meeting of Non-aligned Coordinating
Bureau on the situation in South
Africa . . . . New York 6 March
4. Ninth Meeting of Non-aligned
Coordinators in the field of Health at
the level of Senior Officials Havana 23-28 March
5. Visit by Non-aligned Group of "Friends
of the Chairman" to Nicaragua Managua 29 March to
1 April
6. Ministerial Level Meeting of the
Non-aligned and other Developing
Countries on the Role of Women in
Development . . .New Delhi 8-11 April
7. Extra-ordinary Ministerial Meeting of
the Non-aligned Coordinating Bureau on
the question of Namibia New Delhi 19-21 April
8. Ministerial Level Meeting of
Non-aligned Committee of Eight on
Palestine . . New Delhi 20 April
9. Ninth Meeting of Health Ministers of
Non-aligned Countries during the Thirty
Eight Session of the World Health
Assembly . . Geneva 8 May
10. Special Plenary Meeting of the
Non-aligned Countries addressed by the
Foreign Minister of Argentina New York 17 May
11. Meeting of Non-aligned Coordinating
Bureau to consider the situation in
Central America . New York 26 July
12. Conference of Foreign Ministers of
Non-aligned Countries . Luanda4-8 September
13. Plenary Meeting of Non-aligned
Countries to observe the Day of
Non-aligned . .New York 13 September
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14. Meeting of Ministers and Heads of
Delegation of the Non-aligned Countries
to the Fortieth Session of the UN
General Assembly New York 1 October
15. Special Plenary Meeting of Non-aligned
Countries addressed by Shri Rajiv
Gandhi, Prime Minister of India and
Chairman of the Movement of Non-aligned
Countries . New York 22 October
16. Second Meeting of the Research and
Information System of Non-aligned and
Other Developing Countries New Delhi 20-22 November
17. Meeting of Non-aligned Coordinating
Bureau to discuss the situation in and
around Nicaragua . New York 9 December
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| APPENDIX II Treaties/Conventions/Agreements
|
|
Treaties/Conventions/Agreements concluded or renewed by India
with other countries in 1985*
|
Sl. Title of Convention/Date of Date of Date on
No. Treaty/Agreement signature Ratification,which entered
Accession or into force
Acceptance
------------------------------------------------
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
--------------------------------------------------
MULTILATERAL
Antarctica
1. Convention on the
Conservation of Antarctic
Marine Living Resources
(Canberra, 20-5-1980) . 17-6-1985 17-7-1985
Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation
2. Agreement Terminating the
Commonwealth Telecommunicat-
ions Organisation Financial
Agreement, 1973 . . . 26-3-1985 26-3-1985
3. Commonwealth Telecommunications
Organisation Financial
Agreement, 1983 . . . 26-3-1985 26-3-1985
European Economic Community
4. Financing Agreement between
the Republic of India and
the European Economic
Community-(Agreement
NA/84/10) Supply of
Fertilisers 1984 and
Counterpart Funding of Rural
Development Projects. . . 8-3-1985 8-3-1985
International Atomic Energy Agency
5. An aendment of Article VI of
the Statute of the Internat-
ional Atomic Energy Agency. ..16-5-1985 ..
International Sugar Agreement
6. International Sugar Agree-
ment, 1984 .31-12-1984 29-4-1985 29-4-1985
South Asian Regional Cooperation-Standards of Train-
ing for Seafarers
7. Charter of the South Asian
Association for Regional
Cooperation . . 8-12-1985 8-12-1985
United Nations Development Programme
8. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/84/020/A/01/37-Strengt-
hening CBI CAPABILITY IN
PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT OF
CEMENT INDUSTRIES (PEP) . 4-1-1985 4-1-1985
*This list is not exhaustive.
-84>
9. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project No.
IND/85/006/A/01/37-Development
of Expertise in Fertiliser
Plant Operations . 31-1-1985 31-1-1985
10. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Develop-
ment Programme regarding
Project No. IND/85/026/A/01/37-
Establishment of Metal Handicr-
aft Centre at Moradabad 15-2-1985 15-3-1985
11. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/84/025/A/01/01/Long
Range Electricity Generation
Planning-Transfer of Softw-
are Technology . 29-3-1985 29-3-1985
12. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/95/A/01/37-Demons-
tration and Training in
Productivity Maintenance
for Fertilizer Industry . 23-4-19 23-4-1985
13. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/047/A/01/13-
Curriculum Development for
Technician Education
(Phase-II) . . 9-5-1985 9-5-1985
14. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/008/A/01/40-
Development of National
Institute of Port
Management . .28-5-1985 28-5-1985
15. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/004/A/01/37-
Strenthening of Engineering
and Consultancy Services 5-6-1985 5-6-1985
16. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/005/A/01/01-Studies
on Sedimentation of Reservoirs
in India . . . .7-6-1985 7-6-1985
17. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/059/A/01/12-
Development of Coastal
Aquaculture . . 27-6-198 27-6-1985
18. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/058/81/16-
Improvement of River and Flood
Forecasting System in India
(Phase-II) . . 24-7-1985 24-7-1985
19. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/065/A/12-
Establishment of High Security
Animal Disease Laboratory . 26-7-1985 26-7-1985
20. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/002/A/01/37-
Introduction of Computer
System in SAIL Plants . 24-7-1985 24-7-1985
-85>
21. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/A/01/11-
Modernisation of Hotel
Catering and Tourism
Occupations Training
Programme . . . 16-8-1985 16-8-1985
22. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/062/A/01/37-Establ-
ishment of an Electronic
Service and Training Centre,
Ramnagar, U.P. . .11-9-1985 11-9-1985
23. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. DP/IND/85/064/A/01/37-
Measures for Energy Saving and
Conservation in SAIL's Steel
Plants . . . 20-9-1985 20-9-1985
24. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/015/A/01/12-
Training Centre for Mechanical
Wood Industries, Bangalore .20-9-1985 20-9-1985
25. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/069/C/01/01-Hydro-
mechanics Division
(Supplementary Assistance) 26-9-1985 26-9-1985
26. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/061/B/01/01-
Development of the Indian
Railways Institute of Bridge
Technology, Pune . 5-10-1985 5-10-1985
27. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/027-Modern
Cartographic Centre,
Dehra Dun . . 24-10-1985 24-10-1985
28. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/083/A/01/14-
Strengthening of the National
Institute of Immunology-Deve-
lopment of Diagnostic Methods
using Modern Immunological
and Biological Approaches . 25-10-1985 25-10-1985
29. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Development
Programme regarding Project
No. IND/85/032/A/01/20-
Upgrading of Telecommunication
Training Centres and Manpower
Development . . . . 26-11-1985 26-11-1985
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
30. Constitution of the United
Nations Industrial Development
Organisation (Vienna, 8 April
1979) .16-11-1979 21-1-1980 21-6-1985
-86>
BILATERAL
Afghanistan
31. Agreed Minutes of Meetings
between the Trade Delegations
of India and Afghanistan
(New Delhi, 16-19 July
1985) . . . 19-7-1985 19-7-1985
32. Protocol of the Seventh
Meeting of the India-
Afghanistan Joint Commission
on Economic, Technical and
Trade Cooperation
(New Delhi, 6-8 August,
1985) . . 8-8-1985 8-8-1985
Algeria
33. Exchange of Letters to amend
the Indo-Algerian Technical
and Scientific Cooperation
Convention of 1980 . 8-4-1985 8-4-1985
34. Minutes of the Visit of the
Delegation of the Ministry
of Higher Education of the
Democratic and Popular
Republic of Algeria . 17-4-1985 17-4-1985
Argentina
35. Agreement between the
Government of the Republic
of India and the Government
of the Republic of Argentina
on Scientific and Technical
Cooperation . 24-1-1985 24-1-1985
(Provisional)
Australia
36. Exchange of Notes between
India and Australia regarding
Reciprocal Exchange of
Citizenship information 13-2-1985 13-2-1985
Bangladesh
| 37. Indo-Bangladesh Memorandum of Understanding
(WaterResources) . 22-11-1985 22-11-1985
38. Memorandum of Understanding
between the Government of the
Republic of India and the
Government of the People's
Republic of Bangladesh
(Cyclone relief) . 4-11-1985 4-11-1985
Canada
39. Agreement between India and
Canada amending the Loan
Agreement of 30-9-1969 (Tele-
communication Project) 3-7-1985 3-7-1985
40. Agreement between India and
Canada amending the Loan
Agreement of 21-11-1981
(Power Sector Line of
Credit) . 11-9-1985 11-9-1985
-87>
Czechoslovakia
41. Trade and Payments Agreement
between India and the
Czechoslovak Socialist
Republic . . 28-9-1984 1-1-1985
(Provisional)
42. Long Term Trade Protocol
between India and
Czechoslovakia . 14-2-1985 14-2-1985
Egypt, Arab Republic of
43. Agreement for the Establi-
shment of a Joint Commission
between the Government of the
Republic of India and the
Government of the Arab
Republic of Egypt . 3-9-1983 25-1-1985 25-1-1985
44. Agreed Minutes of the First
Session of the Indo-Egyptian
Joint Commission (New Delhi,
18-21 November 1985) 21-11-1985 21-11-1985
Ethiopia
45. Memorandum of Understanding
between the Republic of India
and Socialist Ethiopia on
Mutual Cooperation in the
Economic Field . 22-12-1985 22-12-1985
France
46. Minutes of the Fourth Meeting
of the Indo-French Working
Group on Coal held in New
Delhi on 27-28 May 1985 . 28-5-1985 28-5-1985
47. Agreement between India and
France for establishing an
Indo-French Centre for the
Promotion of Advanced
Research . . . 8-6-1985 8-6-1985
48. Memorandum between the
Government of the Republic
of India and the Government
of the Republic of France on
Energy Recovery from Urban
and Agricultural Wastes . 9-6-1985 9-6-1985
Germany, Democratic Republic of
49. Protocol of the Sixth
Session of the Joint
Commission on Economic,
Scientific and Technical
Cooperation between the
German Democratic Republic
and the Republic of India 7-11-1985 7-11-1985
Germany, Federal Republic of
50. Agreed Minutes on Development
Cooperation Negotiations
(New Delhi, 10-12 April
1985) 12-4-1985 12-4-1985
51. Agreement between the
Government of the Republic
of India and the Government
of the Federal Republic of
Germany concerning Financial
Cooperation . 28-5-1985 28-5-1985
52. Protocol Amending the Agree-
ment between the Government
of India and the Government
of the Federal Republic of
Germany for the Avoidance of
Double Taxation of Income
signed on 18-3-1959 28-6-1984 10-7-1985 10-8-1985
-88>
Ghana
53. Cultural Agreement between
the Government of the
Republic of India and the
Government of the Republic
of Ghana 12-10-1981 5-2-1985 5-2-1985
Japan
54. Exchange of Notes between
India and Japan regarding
Japanese Grant Aid to India
of Yen 500,000,000 (Five
hundred million) for purchase
of Medical Equipment 22-2-1985 22-2-1985
55. Exchange of Notes between
India and Japan regarding
Japanese Grant Aid of Yen
1,773,860,000 (One billion,
seven hundred seventy three
million eight hundred and
sixty thousand) to India for
Debt Relief 22-2-1985 22-2-1985
56. Exchange of Notes between
India and Japan regarding
Japanese Project Aid for
1985-86 27-9-1985 27-9-1985
57. Exchange of Notes between
India and Japan regarding
Yen Credits for 1985-86 25-11-1985 25-11-1985
58. Agreement between India and
Japan on Cooperation in
Science and Technology 29-11-1985 29-11-1985
Jordan
59. Protocol for Scientific and
Technical Cooperation between
the Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research, India
and the Royal Scientific
Society, Jordan 30-4-1985 30-4-1985
Mauritius
60. Agreed Minutes of the Third
Session of the Indo-Mauritian
Joint Commission on Economic,
Technical and Cultural
Cooperation (New Delhi,
29-31 August 1985) 31-8-1985 31-8-1985
Mexico
61. Protocol to the Agreement on
Cooperation in Science and
Technology between the Gove-
rnment of India and the
Government of Mexico in the
field of Biotechnology 30-1-1985 30-1-1985
Nepal
62. Agreement between the Gove-
rnment of the Republic of
India and His Majesty's Govt.
of Nepal regarding Rural
Electrification in Nuwaket
District 8-8-1985 8-8-1985
63. Agreement between the Gover-
nment of the Republic of
India and His Majesty's Govt.
of Nepal for setting up a
Museum and Library cum
Documentation Complex at the
Forestry Institute at
Hatanda 8-8-1985 8-8-1985
-89>
64. Agreement between the Govt.
of the Republic of India and
His Majesty's Govt. of Nepal
for the construction of
Kolhapur-Mahakali Section of
the Mahendra Raj Marg 28-9-1985 28-9-1985
65. Agreement between the Govt.
of the Republic of India and
His Majesty's Govt. of Nepal
on Stand by Credit 14-10-1985 14-10-1985
The Netherlands
66. Cultural Agreement between
the Republic of India and
the Kingdom of the Nether-
lands 24-5-1985 6-12-1985 1-2-1986
67. Loan Agreement between the
Govt. of India and the
Nederlands Investeringsbenk
Voor Oniwikkelingslanden N.V.
for Hfl. 12 million 14-5-1985 14-5-1985
68. Memorandum of Understanding
between the Department of
Science and Technology of the
Government of India and the
Ministry of Education and
Science of the Netherlands on
Scientific Cooperation 3-7-1985 3-7-1985
Pakistan
69. Report of the Second Meeting
of the India-Pakistan Joint
Commission (New Delhi, 2-4
July 1985) 4-7-1985 4-7-1985
70. Agreement for Cooperation in
Agriculture between the Gov-
ernment of the Republic of
India and the Government of
the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan 4-7-1985 4-7-1985
Poland
71. Protocol of the Ninth Session
of the Indo-Polish Joint
Commission for Economic,
Trade, Scientific and
Technical Cooperation 1-2-1985 1-2-1985
Romania
72. Long term Trade and
Payments Agreement 20-12-1985 1-1-1986
Switzerland
73. Agreement between the Gover-
nment of the Republic of
India and the Government of
the Swiss Confederation
concerning a project of
Financial Cooperation in
favour of the National Bank
for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD)11-1-1985 11-1-1985
(applied re-
trospectively
from 1-7-84)
Thailand
74. Memorandum of Understanding
on the Establishment of the
Joint Trade Committee
between the Republic of
India and the Kingdom of
Thailand 13-2-1985 13-2-1985
-90>
Union of Soviet Socialist Republic
75. Programme on Cooperation and
Exchange in the Field of
Television and Radio Broad-
casting between the Ministry
of Information and Broadcas-
ting, Government of India and
the State Committee for Tele-
vision and Radio Broadcasting
of the USSR for the years
1985 and 1986 29-3-1985 29-3-1985
76. Protocol of the Seventh
Session of the Inter-Govern-
mental Joint Committee on
Shipping (9-12 April 1985) 12-4-1985 12-4-1985
77. Protocol of the Second
Meeting of the Indo-Soviet
Working Group on Trade
(New Delhi, 8-12 April
1985) 12-4-1985 12-4-1985
78. Protocol of the Ninth Meeting
of the Inter-Governmental
Indian-Soviet Commission in
Economic, Scientific and
Technical Cooperation 29-4-1985 29-4-1985
79. Agreement on Economic and
Technical Cooperation between
the Republic of India and the
Union of Soviet Socialist Re-
public (1000 million Roubles
Credit for Kahalgoan Power
Project etc.) 22-5-1985 22-5-1985
80. Trade Agreement between the
Republic of India and the
Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics 23-12-1985 1-1-1986
81. Protocol on Deliveries of
Machinery and Equipment from
USSR to India on Deferred
Payment Terms 23-12-1985 1-1-1986
82. Agreement on Mutual
Deliveries of Goods and
Commodities in the period
1986-1990 between India and
the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics 23-12-1985 1-1-1986
United Arab Emirates
83. Agreed Minutes of the Fourth
Meeting of the Indo-UAE Joint
Commission (Abu Dhabi,
4-5 May 1985) 5-5-1985 5-5-1985
United States of America
84. Fourth Amendatory Agreement
to the Project Loan and Grant
Agreement between the
President of India and the
United States of America for
Integrated Child Development
Services (A.I.D. Loan No.
386-T-233, A.I.D. Project
No. 386-0476)16-5-1985 16-5-1985
85. Project Loan and Grant
Agreement between the
President of India and the
United States of America for
National Social Forestry
(AID Loan No. 386-T-240,
AID Project No. 386-0495) 26-6-1985
86. Limited Scope Grant Project
Agreement between the
President of India and the
United States of America (AID
Project No. 386-0500-Cont-
raceptive Development:
Reproductive Immunology) 26-6-1985 26-6-1985
-91>
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
87. Project Loan and Grant Agreement
between the President of India and
the United States of America for
Biomedical Research Support (AID
Loan No. 386-U-241 & 241A-AID
Project No. 386-0492). 30-7-1985 30-7-1985
88. Limited Scope Grant Project
Agreement between the President of
India and the United States of
America (AID Project No.930-0100-
Women in Development Studies) 30-8-1985 30-8-1985
89. Grant Agreement between the President
of India and the United States of
America for the Programme of
Advancement of Commercial Technology
(A.I.D. Project No. 386-0496) 30-8-1985 30-8-1985
Vietnam
90. Protocol of the India-Vietnam Joint
Commission for Economic,
Scientific and Technical Cooperation
(Hanoi, 23-26 November 1985) 26-11-1985 26-11-1985
Yugoslavia
91. Protocol of the discussions held
during the 15th Session of the
Indo-Yugoslav Joint Committee for
Economic Cooperation (New Delhi,
25-29 July 1985) 29-7-1985 29-7-1985
-92>
| APPENDIX III Major International Conference/Meetings/Seminars
|
|
Major International Conference/Meetings/Seminars etc.
organised by
Inter-Government Organisations at which Government of India was
represented in 1985-86
|
Sl. Title of Conference etc. Venue Date
No.
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1. First Session of ILO's Advisory
Committee on Technology . . . Geneva 15-19 April 1985
2. International Maritime Organisation
Radio Communications Sub-Committee-
29th Session . . London 15-19 April 1985
3. UNICEF Executive Board . . . . . New York 15-26 April 1985
4. 9th Session of Advisory Committee
on Salaried Employees and
Professional Workers . . . Geneva 17-25 April 1985
5. International Maritime Organisation
Marine Environment Protection
Committee-21st Session London 22-26 April 1985
6. 9th Session of UN Committee
on Natural Resources . . . . . New York 22 April to 3 May
1985
7. Executive Council of Universal
Postal Union Berne 22 April to 3 May
1985
8. 3rd Session of Interaction Council Paris 25-27 April 1985
9. 3rd Session of UN Commission on
Status of Women acting as
Preparatory Committee for World
Conference to review and appraise
the Achievements of UN Decade for
Women . . . . New York 29 April to 6 May
1985
10. 25th Session of UN Committee on
Programme and Coordination . . New York 29 April to 31 May
1985
11. 14th Conference of the
International Ports and Harbours Humburg 4-11 May 1985
12. 38th World Health Assembly . . . . Geneva 6-22 May 1985
13. UN Disarmament Commission . . . . New York 6 May to 1 June 1985
14. 9th Meeting of Health Ministers
of Non-aligned and other
developing countries . . . . Geneva 8 May 1985
15. Meeting of Study Group of CCITT . Geneva 13-14 May 1985
16. UN Special Committee on
Decolonisation . . Tunis 13-17 May 1985
17. International Meeting of Chief
Explosives . . . . . . . London 20-23 May 1985
-93>
18. Extra-ordinary Plenary Meeting
of the UN Council on Namibia . . Vienna 3-7 June 1985
19. 7th Interessional meeting of open
ended working group to draft an
International Convention on
Protection of Rights of all
Migrant Workers and their familiesNew York 3-14 June 1985
20. Commonwealth Labour Ministers
Meeting . . Geneva 6-7 June 1985
21. 18th Session of UN Commission on
International Trade Law . . . . . . Vienna 3-21 June 1985
22. 32nd Session of the Governing
Council of UNDP . . . . . . . New York 3-27 June 1985
23. 71st Session of the International
Labour Conference . . . . . . . Geneva 7-27 June 1985
24. 6th Meeting of CHOGRM Working
group on Industry-Workshop on
Leather Tanning and Leather
Products . . . . . . Port Vila 15-19 June 1985
Vanautu
25. 40th Anniversary celebrations of
UN Charter . . . . . . . . San Francisco 23-26 June 1985
26. 54th Session of International
Maritime Organisation Council . London 24-28 June 1985
27. 2nd Regular Session of ECOSOC . Geneva 3-26 July 1985
28. World Conference to review and
appraise the Achievements of UN
Decade for Women . . Nairobi 15-26 July 1985
29. 3rd Course on Survey under the
International Convention for the
Prevention of pollution from
ships (1973-1978) . . . . . . Malmo 22 July to 9
August 1985
30. UN Sub-Commission on Prevention
of Discrimination and Protection
of Minorities . . . Geneva 22 July to 30
August 1985
31. Preparatory Committee of
International Conference
on Disarmament and Development New York 29 July to 9
August 1985
32. South African Development
Coordination Conference
(SADCC) Industrial Rehabiliation
Workshop . . . . . . . . Arusha 27-28 August
(Tanzania) 1985
33. IMO/UNDP/USSR Seminar on Ports
and related Maritime Safety and
Pollution Prevention and Combat
Aspects . . . . . . . Odessa 16-29 August
1985
34. Mitsui Bank International Seminar
1985 . . Japan 19-28 August
1985
35. NAM Ministerial Meeting . . . . . Luanda 2-7 September
1985
36. SARC Technical Committee Meeting New Delhi 16-18 September
1985
-94>
37. 40th Session of UN General
Assembly New York 17 September to
December 1985
38. 8th Intersessional Meeting of
open enied Working Group to draft
an International Convention on
Protection of Rights of all migrant
workers and their families . . . .New York 23 September to
4 October 1985
39. 1st Session of Forestry and Wood
Industry Committee of ILO . . . . Geneva 8-16 September
1985
40. Bank Asia 1985 and the 4th Asian
Congress on Electronics Banking
Service "Financial Technology
Applications-Asian Options up
to A.D. 2000" . Hongkong 24-27 September
1985
41. Meeting of Governing bodies of
WIPO and the Unions administered
by WIPO Geneva 23 September
to 1 October
1985
42. Annual Session of the CCPS . . . Berne 6-19 October
1985
43. Joint Meeting on Employment and
Working Conditions in Health and
Medical-Services of ILO . Geneva 8-15 October
1985
44. 3rd Asian and Pacific Ministerial
Level Conference on Social Welfare
and Social Development . . Bangkok 9-15 October
1985
45. CHOGM '85 Summit . . . . . Nassau 12-22 October
(Bahamas) 1985
46. IMO Assembly 14th Session IMO
Council Extraordinary Session IMO
Council 55th Session . London 8-22 November
1985
47. International Astronomical Union
Colloquim 91 on History of
Oriental Astronomy . . . New Delhi 13-16 November
1985
48. Inter-regional Seminar on
Industrial Strategy and the Patent
System . . . . . Seoul 18-22 November
1985
49. Workshop on Food and the well-
being of children in Developing
World . . . . . New York 25-26 November
1985
50. 5th AAPU Congress . . . . . . Bangkok 24 November to
4 December
1985
51. SAARC Summit and Stamp Exhibition Dhaka 27 November to
9 December
1985
52. 3rd Session of Tripartite Technical
Meeting on Leather and Footwear
Industry . . . Geneva 4-12 December
1985
53. International Conference on
Families in the face of
Urbanisation . . . . . India 2-5 December
1985
54. The Urban Sector Conference . . Washington 2-6 December
1985
55. Workshop on Industrial Property
Licensing and Technology Transfer
Arrangements . . . Bombay 7-11 December
1985
-95>
| APPENDIX IV Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars
|
|
Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars organised by Non-
Governmental Organisations at which Indian experts participated in
their personal capacity with Government assistance
|
Sl. No Title of Conference etc. Venue Date
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1. Multi-Country Study Mission on Waste
Disposal, Control and Recycling . . . Japan 15-20 April
1985
2. Asian NGO symposium on Palestine . . . Beijing 22-26 April
1985
3. Survey meeting on Foreign Investment . Singapore 1-3 May 1985
4. Symposium on Immediate Independence of
Namibia Singapore 6-10 May 1985
5. 27th Session of Governing Body
Meeting of Asian Productivity
Organisation . . . . . Tokyo 13-16 May
1985
6. Seminar on Production Planning Control Japan 27 May to 14
June 1985
7. Seminar on Small Industries Development Korea &
Japan 27 May to 14
June 1985
8. Seminar on "Education for Peace" . . . Caracas 2-6 June 1985
9. Symposium on Cereal Seed Industry . . Jakarta 17-22 June
1985
10. Seminar on Strategic Defence
Initiative and International Security Stockholm 4-7 July 1985
11. Seminar on Training Techniques . . . India 8-18 July 1985
12. Symposium on Small Group Activities Singapore 9-13 July 1985
13. Symposium on the role of General
Trading Firms . Thailand 19-23 August
1985
14. International Seminar on racial
ideologies and organisations hindering
efforts for elimination of racial
discrimination . . . . . . . . Budapest 9-11 September
1985
15. 2nd UN International Non-Governmental
Organisations meeting on the question
of Palestinian Rights . . . . . . . Geneva 9-12 September
1985
16. Seminar on Energy Conservation . . . . Japan 9-27 September
1985
17. Seminar on Farm Credit . . . . . Japan 17-30 September
1985
18. Symposium on Commercialization of
Indigenous Technology . . . . . . India 7-11 October
1985
19. Seminar on Mutual Aid Scheme in the
context of Group Insurance . . . . . Tokyo 14 to 26 October
1985
20. Symposium on Fishing Industry . . . . Tokyo 13-18 November
1985
-96>
21. Seminar on Construction Management 13-22 November
1985
22. Seminar on Applications Specific
Industries . . Japan 18 November to
16 December 1985
23. Multi-Country Study Mission on
Furniture Industry Japan 23 November to
7 December 1985
24. Seminar on Personnel Management
Practices . India 28 to 30November
1985
25. Seminar on Surface Technology
applied to Dies & Moulds . . Hong Kong 2-6 December
1985
26. Seminar on Packing Design &
Engineering . . . Japan 7-25 December1985
27. Symposium on Linkage between
Large & Small Industries . . KualaLumpur 9-13 December 1985
28. Symposium on "Is Universality in
Jeopardy" . Geneva16-17 December 1985
29. Symposium on Organizing for Higher
Productivity Experience of the
Republic of Korea . . Seoul 17-21 December
1985
-97>
| APPENDIX V Miscellaneous Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars
|
|
Miscellaneous Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars at
which Government of India was represented or in which Indian experts
participated with Government of India's assistance in their personal
capacity
|
Sl. Title of Conference etc. Venue Date
No.
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1. U.N. Group on Concepts of Security New York 8-19 April 1985
2. U.N. Advisory Board on Disarmament
Studies . New York 6-11 May 1985
3. Symposium on International High
Speed Mail Service . . . . . . Riecione,
Italy 29 May to 2
June 1985
4. The 24th General Assembly Meeting of
ISBI Geneva 6-7 June 1985
5. Symposium on Rice Research-Accompli-
shments and Challenges . . . . . Manila 6-8 June 1985
6. U.N. Group on Concepts of Security New York 8-19 July 1985
7. 10th International Congress of
Heterocyclic Chemistry Canada 11-16 August,
1985
8. Meeting of American Mathematical
Society and the Mathematical
Association of America . . U.S.A. 12-15 August
1985
9. Regional Workshop on Savings Banks
Service in Rural & Urban Areas . . . Indonesia 18-23 August
1985
10.International Symposium on Antennas
and Propagatur in Japan . . . . Japan 20-22 August
1985
11.World Conference on Cooperation
Education . Scotland-UK 2-6 September
1985
12.U.N. International Seminar on Comm-
unity Relations Commissions and their
Functions . . . Geneva 9-20 September,
1985
13.Meeting of U.N. Advisory Board on
Disarmament Studies . . . . . . . Geneva 23-27 September,
1985
14.Multi-Disciplinary Workshop on "Women
and Violence" . . . . . London 23-29 September,
1985
15.11th World Congress of Asthamology Mexico 21-25 October,
1985
16.Meeting of European LPG Association Madrid 25 October,1985
17.4th Session of U.N. Inter-Governmental
Group of Experts on Restrictive Business
Practices . . Geneva 4-15 November,
1985
18.Training of Trainers Programme . . . India 18-28 November,
1985
19.Meeting of Committee of Experts on
Intellectual Property in respect of
Integrated Circuits . . Geneva 26-29 November,
1985
20.Advisory Seminar on "Women and
Children" . Vienna 9-20 December,
1985
-98>
| APPENDIX VI Statement showing revenue and expenditure in respect of Passport
|
|
Statement showing revenue and expenditure in respect of Passport
Offices in India during the period January to December 1985
|
Sl. No. Station Revenue Expenditure
Earned incurred)
(in Rupees) (in Rupees)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1. Ahmedabad . . . . 48,94,960.00 13,55,367.65
2. Bangalore . . . . 50,58,600.00 13,89,000.00
3. Bareilly . . . . 35,43,910.55 10,93,353.42
4. Bhopal . . . . 10,60,705.75 5,32,185.40
5. Bhubaneswar . . . 2,46,221.00 2,80,922.80
6. Bombay . . . . . 2,96,04,160.05 48,83,360.04
7. Calcutta . . . . 26,22,315.80 10,61,036.43
8. Chandigarh . . . . 37,48,676.00 16,55,567.00
9. Cochin . . . . 62,74,585.26 24,80,723.46
10. Delhi . . . . 76,94,508.00 30,11,315.28
11. Guwahati . . . . 2,47,073.50 2,07,416.65
12. Hyderabad . . . . 33,27,353.50 17,23,572.50
13. Jaipur . . . . 27,91,022.00 14,23,171.81
14. Jalandhar . . . . 42,11,137.10 14,96,400.00
15. Kozhikode . . . . 40,71,972.50 11,29,656.00
16. Lucknow . . . . 25,32,362.50 11,38,814.40
17. Madras . . . . 53,49,099.11 16,99,541.31
18. Patna . . . . 9,30,748.00 4,57,039.75
19. Srinagar . . . . 7,08,857.00 2,51,527.00
20. Tiruchirapalli . . 42,00,011.15 15,98,132.05
21. Vijayawada . . . 8,21,329.00 4,78,087.20
GRAND TOTAL . 9,39,39,607.77 2,93,46,190.15
-99>
| APPENDIX VII Statement showing number of Passports/Miscellaneous service
|
|
Statement showing number of Passports/Miscellaneous service
applications received and number of passportsissued/Miscallaneous
services rendered during the period January to December 1985
|
Sl. Station Details of Passports Details of Miscellane-
No. Issued ous Services Rendered
on Passport
No.of No.of No.of No.of
Passport Passports applications services
applications granted received rendered
received
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
1. Ahmedabad . . 75,999 57,610 25,869 26,127
2. Bangalore . . 81,963 76,280 17,285 15,389
3. Bareilly . . 65,514 47,067 13,457 13,352
4. Bhopal . . 16,566 14,697 9,882 9,264
5. Bhubaneswar . 4,303 3,380 890 846
6. Bombay . 2,48,126 2,58,126 1,94,716 1,91,545
7. Calcutta . . 41,349 31,291 17,605 17,523
8. Chandigarh . . 61,596 48,459 24,589 25,372
9. Cochin . . 92,316 82,433 54,553 54,000
10. Delhi . 1,06,341 96,622 69,975 72,651
11. Guwahati . 3,071 2,889 956 924
12. Hyderabad . 51,440 43,492 25,081 26,122
13. Jaipur . 45,177 39,814 11,503 11,410
14. Jalandhar . 56,986 39,072 32,046 31,551
15. Kozhikode . 60,059 52,713 29,558 28,071
16. Lucknow . 39,933 38,985 15,031 16,331
17. Madras . 72,072 70,059 32,289 30,308
18. Patna . 15,962 10,384 3,544 3,723
19. Srinagar . 10,278 6,891 2,638 2,658
20. Tiruchirapalli 69,142 54,164 21,625 17,155
21. Vijayawada . 14,249 10,495 3,707 2,629
GRAND TOTAL 12,32,447 10,84,923 6,06,799 5,96,951
-100>
| APPENDIX VIII Cadre Strength at Headquarters
|
|
Cadre Strength at Headquarters and 136 Missions & Posts abroad
during 1985-86
|
Sl. No. Cadre/Post Posts at Posts at
Head- Missions
quarters abroad
(1) (2) (3) (4)
IFS
1. Grade I . . . . . . . . 3 18
2. Grade II . . . . . . . . 3 25
3. Grade III . . . . . . . . 18 79
4. Grade IV . . . . . . . . 15 65
5. Sr. Scale . . . . . . . . 56 200
6. Jr. Scale . . . . . . . . 5 28
7. Training Reserve (Jr. Scale) . . . 25 2
8. Training Reserve . . . . . . 10 ..
9. Leave Reserve . . . . . . 19 ..
10. Deputation Reserve . . . . . 20 ..
IFS(B)
1. Grade I . . . . . . . . 61 59
2. Grade II & III . . . . . . . . 172 158
3. Grade IV . . . . . . . . 418 509
4. Grade V & VI . . . . . . . . 493 197
5. Grade II of Cypher Sub-Cadre . . . 81 118
6. Selection Grade of Steno. Grade of IFS(B) 16 35
7. Grade I of Steno's Cadre of IFS(B) . . 31 143
8. Grade II of Steno's Cadre . . . 202 246
9. Grade III of Steno's Cadre . . . 42 79
Combined Research Cadre . . . 38 6
Interpreters' Cadre . . . (Both at HQs & Missions)
Total 1758 1967
-101>
| APPENDIX IX Cadre Strength of IFS
|
|
Cadre Strength of IFS during 1985-86
1. Grade I 21
2. Grade II 28
3. Grade III 97
4. Grade IV 80
5. Senior Scale of IFS 256
6. Junior Scale of IFS 33
7. Training Reserve (Jr. Scale) 27
8. Training Reserve 10
9. Leave Reserve } in all grades 19
10. Deputation Reserve 20
-102> | APPENDIX X Foreign Language Chart
|
|
Foreign Language Chart
Sl. No. Language Total
No. of
Officers
Passed/Know the
Language
1. Arabic 86
2. Burmese 2
3. Chinese 46
4. Czech 1
5. Dutch 2
6. French 158
7. German 80
8. Gorkhali 10
9. Hungarian 1
10. Bhasa (Bahasa)-Indonesia 14
11. Italian 8
12. Japanese 29
13. Kiswahili 14
14. Malay-Bahasa 3
15. Persian 31
16. Polish 3
17. Portuguese 17
18. Pushtu 1
19. Romanian 1
20. Russian 79
21. Serbo-Croatian 6
22. Spanish 73
23. Swedish 3
24. Thai 4
25. Tibetan 3
26. Turkish 3
27. Vietnamese 3
-103>
| APPENDIX XI Revenue Expenditure of the Ministry
|
|
Revenue Expenditure of the Ministry during the financial year
1985-86
|
Revised Estimate
1985-86
(Rs. in Lakhs)
Headquarters 13,12.79
Mission/Posts abroad 58,50.54
Supply Wings, London & Washington 1,59.75
Other Items
Contribution to UN, Commonwealth Secretariat
and other international institutions 3,03.79
Central Passport and Emigration Organisation 7,10.35
Other Misc. Items 54,99.05
Aid
Aid to Bangladesh 3,48.00
Aid to Bhutan 45,36.27
Aid to Nepal 27,39.87
Aid to other Developing Countries under ITEC
Programme 6,50.00
Total 2,21,10.41
-104>
|
APPENDIX XII Expenditure on Indian Missions/Posts
|
|
Expenditure on Indian Missions/Posts abroad and Headquarters of
Ministry of External Affairs in 1985-86
The estimated expenditure on Headquarters Organisation of the
Ministry during the current year 1985-86 is expected to be Rs.
13,12.79 lakhs- out of which Rs. 2,42.99 lakhs will be on
Publicity, Rs. 1,95.97 lakhs on Travel Expenses, Rs. 4,34.34
lakhs on Salaries and Wages of Establishment, Rs. 6.30 lakhs on
Subsidy to Departmental Canteen and Rs. 4,33.09 lakhs on Other
Items.
The total estimated expenditure on Indian Missions abroad
including Supply Wings, Washington and London is expected to be
Rs. 60,10.29 lakhs. This amount comprises Rs. 24,35.97 lakhs on
Salaries, Wages and Allowances including Foreign Allowances- Rs.
8,11,70 lakhs on Transfer and Home Leave passages and on Local
Tours Rs. 14,50.97 lakhs on Rents, Rates and Taxes as well as
maintenance and repairs of accommodation rented abroad. Rs.
13,11.65 lakhs on other miscellaneous items of contingent
expenditure. Average expenditure on Missions abroad is expected
to be Rs. 44.45 lakhs.
The expenditure mentioned above on Headquarters and
Missions/Posts abroad, including expenditure on Publicity, works
out to approximately 33.12% of the total Revenue expenditure of
this Ministry. The remaining 66.88% of the Revenue estimates of
the Ministry are being spent on various aid programmes including
those to neighbouring countries, contribution to UN and other
international bodies, passport organisation and other items.
-105>
|
APPENDIX XIII Statement showing the total number of employees
|
|
Statement showing the total number of employees (both permanent
and temporary) in the Ministry of External Affairs under various
groups and representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes therein (position as on 31-12-1985)
|
Group Total No. Scheduled % of Total Scheduled % of
Total
of employees Castes employees Tribes
employees
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Group `A' 766 84 10.98% 37 4.83%
Group `B' 1522 130 8.60% 22 1.46%
Group `C' 2189 287 13.11% 75 3.43%
Group `D'(Ex-cluding
sweepers) 615 175 28.45% 17 2.76%
Group `D'
(Sweepers) 101 98 97% 2 2%
-106>
| APPENDIX XIV Statement showing the number of appointments
|
|
Statement showing the number of appointments (both by direct
recruitment & promotion) made in various Groups in the Ministry
of External Affairs and reserve vacancies filled by Scheduled
Castes/Scheduled Tribes during the year 1985
|
Group Total Number of Number of Number of vacancies
number of vacancies reserved de-reserved due to
vacancies reserved for candidates non-availability of
filled appointed reserved candidates
Sched- Sched- Sched- Sched- Sched- Sched-
uled uled uled uled uled uled
Castes Tribes Castes Tribes Castes Tribes
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
Group A 39 2 1 2 1 .. ..
Group B 207 26 14 16 1 10 13
Group C 42 7 3 4 2 3 1
Group D (Ex-cluding
Sweepers) 101 17 8 26 1 .. 7
-107>
|
APPENDIX XV International Conferences/Meetings hosted by the Min./Departments
|
|
International Conferences/Meetings hosted by the
Ministries/Departments of the Government of India during 1985 for
which logistical arrangements were made by the Conference Cell of
the Ministry of External Affairs
|
Sl. No. Title of Conference/Meeting Date
(1) (2) (3)
1. International Film Festival, New Delhi 3 to 16 January 1985
2. SARC Technical Committee Meeting on Sports,
Arts & Culture 7 to 9 January 1985
3. International Training Seminar on Harmoniz-
ed Commodity Description and Coding System 24-31 January 1985
4. Non-aligned Movement Meeting in the Sphere
of Standardization, Measurement & Quality
control 23-31 January 1985
5. Six-Nation Summit on Nuclear Disarmament 28 January 1985
6. Conference on International wokrshop on
sharing expertise and Experience amongst
small industries/enterprises in developing
countries 6 to 11 February 1985
7. Preparatory Committee Meeting of SARC
Archaeological Congress 4 to 5 March 1985
8. Seminar on Non-alignment and Nuclear
Disarmament 12 March 1985
9. Conference of Non-aligned and other
developing countries on the Role of Women
in Development 8 to 11 April 1985
10. Ministerial Meeting of the NAM Coordinating
Bureau 18 to 21 April 1985
11. Indo-Arab Seminar on Trade, Economic &
Technical Cooperation 1 to 4 May 1985
12. Asian Non-Governmental Organisations
Symposium on Palestine 1 to 3 May 1985
13. Seminar on Scrap Trade and Industry 4 to 5 May 1985
14. Second National Conference of Parlia-
mentarians on Population and Development 13 May 1985
15. Meeting of the Governing Council of the
Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting
Development 25 to 29 June 1985
16. Second Meeting on the Indo-Pak Joint
Commission 27 to 29 June 1985
17. Ministerial Meeting on the Global System
of Trade Preferences 22 to 26 July 1985
18. 78th General Meeting of the Federation
Aeronautique Internationale 17 to 23 November 1985
19. Meeting of Non-aligned Youth for the
Liberation of Mankind from Fear and
Bondage 19 to 21 November 1985
20. Second Conference of Research and Inform-
ation System Sponsored by the Research and
Information System for the Non-aligned and
other Developing countries 20 to 22 November 1985
21. International Conference on Families in
the Face of Urbanisation 2 to 5 December 1985
22. Regional Meeting of the United Nations
Commission on the Human Settlement
(International Year of the Shelter for
the Homeless) 9 to 14 December 1985
23. International Colloquim on New Round of
Negotiations and Developing Countries 12 to 13 December 1985
-108>
INDIA
USA
| APPENDIX XVI VVIP visits to India
|
|
VVIP visits to India from January to December 1985
|
Sl. Heads of State/Government Date
No.
(1) (2) (3)
1. H.E. Dr. Raul Alfonsin, President of
Argentina 23 to 29 January
2. H.E. Mr. Miguel De La Madrid Hurtado,
President of Mexico 27 to 31 January
3. H.M. Jigme Singye Wangchuk, King of Bhutan 1 to 4 February
4. H.E. Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President
of Maldives 4 to 6 February
5. H.E. General Wojciech Jaruzelski, Chairman
of the Council of Ministers of Poland 11 to 15 February
6. H.E. Mrs. Milka Plannic, Prime Minister of
Yugoslavia 18 to 19 March
7. Hon. Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister of
Mauritius 2 to 4 April
8. Rt. Hon. Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, Prime
Minister of U.K. 13 to 14 April
9. Rt. Hon. David Russel Lange, Prime Minister
of New Zealand 15 April
10. H.E. Mr. Yasser Arafat, Chairman of P.L.O. 18 to 21 April
11. H.E. Mr. J.R. Jayewardene, President of
Sri Lanka 1 to 3 June
12. Hon. Michael Chambers, Prime Minister of
Trinidad and Tobago 29 July to 1 August
13. H.E. Mr. Julius K. Nyerere, President of
Tanzania 24 to 28 August
14. H.M. Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, The
King of Nepal 18 to 20 September
15. H.E. Mr. Soeharto, President of Indonesia 16 November
16. H.E. Mr. Yasser Arafat, Chairman of P.L.O. 18 to 19 November
17. H.E. Gen. Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan17 December
18. H.E. Com. Mengistu Haile-Mariam, Chairman
of Provisional Military Administrative
Council of Ethiopia 20 to 26 December
FOREIGN MINISTERS
1. H.E. ACM Siddhi Savetsila, Foreign
Minister of Thailand 21 to 24 March
2. H.E. Mr. Kim Yong Nam, Foreign Minister
of Democratic People's Republic of Korea 10 to 14 April
3. Hon. William George Hayden, Foreign
Minister of Australia 7 to 20 May
4. H.E. Mr. Hans Dietrich Genscher, Foreign
Minister of Federal Republic of Germany 9 to 11 July
5. H.E. Mr. Clement T. Maynard, Foreign
Minister of Bahamas 18 to 21 July
6. H.E. Mr. Won-Kyung Lee, Foreign Minister
of Republic of Korea 18 to 21 July
-109>
7. H.E. Dr. Olavo Egydio Setubal, Foreign
Minister of Brazil 22 to 25 July
8. H.E. Mr. Shah Mohammad Dost, Foreign
Minister of Afghanistan 5 to 9 August
9. H.E. Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen, Foreign
Minister of Malaysia 30 October to 3
November
10. H.E. Mr. Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann,
Foreign Minister of Nicaragua 19 to 23 November
OTHERS
1. H.E. Dr. Henry Kissinger, Former
Secretary of State of the United States
of America 17 to 19 January
2. H.R.H. Princess Anne of the United Kingdom 19 to 28 February
3. H.E. Mr. Jacques Mitterrand, Special
Envoy to the President of France 22 to 23 February
4. H.E. Sheikh-ul-Islam, Dy. Foreign
Minister of Iran 18 to 20 March
5. H.E. Mr. Ali Mohammad Bosharati, Alternate
Foreign Minister of Iran 21 to 25 June
6. H.E. Mr. Lhendup Dorji, Former Prime
Minister of Bhutan July 1985
7. Mr. Niaz Naik, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan 29 July to 1 August
8. H.E. Dr. S.S. Ramphal, Secretary General
of Commonwealth 19 to 27 August
-110> |
|