'Composite Dialogue success pedicated on Pak'

New Delhi, Feb 23: President A P J Abdul Kalam today reiterated India's concern at infiltration and cross-border terrorism and said the success of the Composite Dialogue Process was predicated on Pakistan fulfilling its commitment not to allow its territory to be used to support terrorism.

In his address to both Houses of Parliament, the President said it was a matter of satisfaction that the dialogue process with Pakistan was progressing steadily.

The Composite Dialogue Process, the Joint Commission and the Anti-Terrorism Institutional Mechanism had provided a structural framework within which all major issues were being discussed.

''We remain concerned over infiltration and cross-border terrorism, and the success of the dialogue is predicated on Pakistan fulfilling its commitment not to permit any territory under its control to be used to support terrorism in any manner,'' he said.

Dr Kalam said India's Foreign Policy had been shaped by the desire to create an external environment conducive to peace and stability in the region, ensuring India's accelerated economic development and the safeguarding of national security. In pursuit of this, the government had undertaken a comprehensive engagement with the world, including all major powers, the extended neighbourhood and with other countries of the developing and non-aligned world.

Referring to the July 18, 2005, Civilian Nuclear Energy Cooperation agreement with the US, the President said the transforming of Indo-US relations had resulted in wide-ranging engagement across many fields including Defence and security issues, counter-terrorism, science and technology, health, trade, energy including nuclear energy, agriculture, maritime cooperation and environment.

On relations with Russia, he said the agreements reached during the recent visit of President Vladimir Putin to India would significantly expand cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy, high-technology, Defence and space.

The Strategic Partnership between India and Russia was poised to deepen even further, he added.

Referring to the upcoming April 3-4 SAARC Summit in New Delhi, the President said India would work for ensuring that the grouping becomes a vehicle for peace and progress in the region. Expressing happiness that Afghanistan would be joining SAARC as the eighth member at the Summit, he said the importance of Indo-Afghan relations was underlined at the second Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan in November last year.

About the recently signed updated India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty, the President said it would enable both countries to further strengthen and enhance their relationship to a higher level to meet the aspirations of the two peoples.

He reiterated India's full support to restoration of democracy in Nepal and the success of the peace process, a democratic, stable and prosperous Bangladesh and a negotiated, political settlement to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

With the European Union, Dr Kalam said negotiations were to be launched on a broad-based India-EU Trade and Investment Agreement.

Asserting that India's 'Look East Policy' had contributed to increasing engagement with ASEAN and East Asia, the President said India's participation in the East Asia and India-ASEAN Summits had rejuvenated India's ancient links with the region and strengthened economic ties.

He said the ten-pronged strategy entered into with China, would add greater content to the strategic partnership between the two countries and develop an action-oriented agenda for the future.

With Japan also, he said negotiations were underway for a 'Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement'.

Observing that India was actively pursuing strengthened relations with West Asia and the Persian Gulf region, the President said India would like to see peace and stability in the region and had called on all parties to renounce violence and seek a comprehensive solution through peaceful negotiations. The government also desired a stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and democratic Iraq.

India had also deepened and strengthened its relations with Iran, vital for energy security and employment for Indians, and the countries of Africa and Latin America.

About the WTO, Dr Kalam said that in order to break the impasse, developed countries must make meaningful offers to reduce the large trade-distorting subsidies provided to their agriculture sector.

At the same time, the role of agriculture as a major source of livelihood in developing countries made it imperative that governments were enabled to mitigate risks associated with price declines, price volatility and predatory competition through policy flexibilities.

Equally important was increased market access for products and services of export interest to developing countries to ensure that ''the Doha Round is indeed a Development Round,'' the President added.

UNI