Developed nations should help developing countries:Shekhawat

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today said that the member countries of the European Union should appreciate the needs and aspirations of the people of the developing countries like India.

Talking to an European Parliamentary Delegation which called on him at his residence this evening, Mr Shekhawat said these developed nations should extend their full cooperation in the socio-economic development of the Third World countries.

He said in countries like India which had more than 26 per cent people living below the poverty line, development was a great challenge.

"We face an enormous challenge of providing to our farmers adequate quantities of electricity, energy and water for irrigation as we have limited resources. At the same time, it is also important to ensure a fair price of their produce to the farmers," he said.

Mr Shekhawat also expressed concern on the increasing global terrorism saying it was detrimental to developmental activities and all countries should unite to fight the menace.

Earlier, European Parliament President Josep Borrell Fontelles, who led the four-member delegation, described India as one of the two largest democracies of the world and an important trade partner of the European Union.

He underscrored the need of developing this partnership further in the context of the emerging new world trade order.

On the issue of terrorism, he said it was a global theat and the European Union was discarging its reponsibilities by participating in the fight against terrorism at different places.

He also called for stregthening people to people contact between India and European Union.

UNI KAS SB KN2003