Envoys of eight nations present credentials to President Patil

New Delhi, Dec.8 (ANI): Envoys of eight nations presented credentials to President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Wednesday.

The envoys who presented their credentials were: Ambassador of Ukraine Oleksandr D. Shevchenko, High Commissioner of Gambia Dembo Badjie, Ambassador of Yemen Khadija Radman Mohamed Gahnem, High Commissioner of Canada Stewart Beck, Ambassador of Libya Dr. Ali Abd-al-Aziz al-Isawi, High Commissioner of Namibia Dr. Samuel Kaveto Mbambo, Ambassador of Estonia Peep Jahilo, Ambassador of San Marino Lucio Amati.

While welcoming them, the President mentioned that the envoys were beginning their tenure at a time when India would soon commence its two-year term as Non-Permanent Member of the UN Security Council.

She stated that India looked forward to working with the international community to fulfill its obligations as a responsible Member of the Security Council. Referring to the need for urgent reforms of the UN, including the expansion of the Security Council, the President said that India has all the credentials to be a permanent member, in an expanded UN Security Council.

The President called for building harmony in the world, and in this context, highlighted the role of trade, investment and greater people-to-people contacts in promoting greater understanding and linkages between countries and societies. She emphasized the need for all countries to work together to defeat terrorism, which poses the greatest threat to progress and prosperity.

The President referred to India's commitment to further strengthen its ties with countries, whose envoys had presented their credentials, across a broad range of fields on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

The credential presentation ceremony was attended by the senior members of the missions, senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and Rashtrapati Bhavan. (ANI)