Strategic partnership planned
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 22 — The Russian Prime Minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, today concluded a fruitful two-day official visit to India during which the two sides reaffirmed their determination to impart a qualitatively new character and long-term perspective to their multifaceted ties and actively develop them into the 21st century.

The two sides at the conclusion of Mr Primakov’s visit expressed satisfaction that Indo-Russian bilateral cooperation was proceeding well in all spheres and they agreed to identify new ways to jointly exploit the tremendous capabilities, including scientific, technical and industrial skills, available in India and Russia.

It was also agreed to jointly exploit the new opportunities emerging from economic changes underway in both countries.

A joint statement issued at the conclusion of Mr Primakov’s visit and tabled in the Lok Sabha by the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, said the two sides now intended to move towards a "strategic partnership, which would be confirmed during their next summit level meeting by the signing of a declaration on strategic partnership between India and the Russian Federation.

This political document of paramount importance would set new parameters and guide the further development of the close partnership between the two countries.

According to the statement, the two sides expressed the satisfaction that cooperation was progressing well in such fields as power, oil, and natural gas, coal, steel and transport and agreed to further strengthen it to mutual benefit.

It was noted that wide-ranging and multifaceted cooperation in science and technology continued to show excellent progress. The two countries agreed to focus efforts on commercially exploiting the achievements of joint research in science and technology.

They expressed satisfaction over their continuing cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy and agreed to intensify Indo-Russian cultural exchanges to improve people-to-people contacts.

Sharing a common view on the ideals of peace, democracy, rule of law, non-violence and secularism, the two countries agreed that it was necessary to create a multipolar world based on the sovereign equality of all states, democratic values and justice.

They agreed to jointly contribute to securing international peace and security, the democratisation of international relations, as well as the promotion of the establishment of a new, just and stable world order with a strengthened role for the United Nations and its specialised agencies.

During the talks, views were also exchanged on a wide-range of important international issues of mutual interest. In these discussions both sides supported the process of nuclear non-proliferation. The discussions also demonstrated a convergence of views on international terrorism, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and arms as well as the situation in and around Afghanistan and other parts of the world, the West Asia peace process and the Asia-Pacific problems.

The two sides expressed the view that the development of active and constructive bilateral relations between India and Russia and other major countries of the Asia and Pacific region would contribute to stability and security.

The Russian side also reaffirmed its support for India’s efforts to normalise relations with Pakistan on the basis of the 1972 Simla Agreement.

The two sides deplored the recent missile strikes against Iraq. They urged the resumption of diplomatic efforts under UN auspices. The two countries noted that these actions had raised serious questions regarding the functioning of the collective and consultative procedures of the UN Security Council.

India and Russia agreed on the need to expand the UN Security Council to make it more representative and increase its effectiveness. Mr Primakov indicated that Russia considered India to be a strong and appropriate candidate for permanent membership of an expanded UN Security Council.

Mr Primakov during his two-day visit called on the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, the Vice President, Mr Krishna Kant, and held in-depth talks with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. His schedule today included an address to the captains of Indian industry at a meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and a meeting with the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and a former Prime Minister, Mr Inder Kumar Gujral. During his separate meetings with Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gujral, Mr Primakov discussed the global situation, including the US-led military strikes on Iraq, besides reviewing the progress in bilateral relations.

A beginning was made towards long term economic and trade cooperation between the two countries when the two sides signed three agreements on tea and oil fronts.

The agreement on tea included a long term commitment by Russia to import 100 million kg of tea per annum from India.

An agreement between Indian Oil Corporation and Russia’s Lukoil was also signed which envisages the import of Russian equity oil from Kuwait and Iraq.

The ONGC also signed an agreement with Lukoil for working together to explore oil blocks both in Russia and East European countries.

Earlier, addressing the Indian businessmen, Mr Primakov said that Russia would not abandon the path of privatisation and it was in favour of attracting foreign direct investments. He said his government would create all the necessary conditions to lure foreign investments.

The Russian Prime Minister said trade between India and Russia had fallen drastically from $ 5 billion to $ 1.5 billion in the last fiscal and this needed to be reversed. He hoped that by the year 2000 the two countries would be able to double bilateral trade and increase it by four times by the year 2005.

Taking questions from Indian businessmen, Mr Primakov sought to give an assurance in redressing their problems. Regarding the tax code and environment in Russia, he said his government had already submitted a proposal to reduce taxation rates.

He, however, ruled out any move by the Russian Government to guarantee the repatriation of Indian corporates’ money locked up in his country’s commercial banks.

Mr Primakov said while his government was restructuring the banking system, the Indian corporates would have to bear the brunt of a free market economy. He pointed out that the Indian businessmen had parked their funds in the Russian banks for commercial reasons and they had to reap both the profit and the losses if any.

The Russian Prime Minister also spoke about encouraging direct trade between the two countries.

Mr Primakov, before leaving for Kazakhstan this afternoon, described his visit as "very satisfactory".

India may buy 200 MBTs from Russia

LONDON, Dec 22 (ANI) — The Indian Army is likely to purchase 200 Russian T-90s main battle tanks (MBTs) for making its armoured regiments more effective, according to a report appearing in the Jane’s Defence Weekly this week.

Quoting Army sources in New Delhi, the weekly says the purchase of the T-90s MBTs for an undisclosed amount is being undertaken to counter the 320 T-80 UDs bought by Pakistan from the Ukraine. The weekly also says the armoured divisions along with the tanks will be deployed in the border areas of Rajasthan’s Thar desert and in Punjab by the middle of next year.

According to the weekly report, the T-90s have the latest generation explosive reactive armour and a defensive aides suite. Indian Army officials consider the T-90s, which also fires laser-guided missiles, superior to Pakistan’s T-80 UDs. Weighing over 46 tonnes, these tanks are said to be far more agile than the 58-tonne Arjun tank. The T-90s are also capable of firing up to eight 125mm rounds per minute. Before the finalisation of the purchase the tanks were put on trial at the Armoured Corps Centre and School in Ahmadnagar and also underwent hot weather trials in the Rajasthan desert.

Indian Army sources have also been quoted as saying that there is the possibility of producing the T-90s MBT under licence at the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi. A decision in this regard is likely to be taken after an assessment of the much-delayed Arjun tank, the Indian designed MBT-124, which has been cleared for serial production to equip at least two or three regiments by the year 2004.

Defence pact unnerves Pak

ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (PTI) — Pakistan today said it was concerned over the new Indo-Russian defence deal, which it feared might lead to an arms race in the region, but expressed doubts over the feasibility of Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov’s proposal of a New Delhi-Moscow-Beijing triangular strategic alliance.

"Our concern is about $16 billion defence agreement between Russia and India and other agreements like technology transfer and arms production because it will disturb strategic balance and increase armament race in the region," Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz told the BBC.

Reacting to Mr Primakov’s proposal in New Delhi yesterday on a strategic alliance among Russia, India and China, Mr Aziz said: "We feel no danger in this regard" and questioned its practical implementation.

"There are not much chances of success for this initiative as China will not enter such a defence alliance consisting of only a few countries, specially at a time when New Delhi has declared Beijing its number one enemy," he said.

"As far as our knowledge is concerned, China will join this alliance only if it is constituted at a larger scale," Mr Aziz said.

Even if such an alliance comes through, Pakistan’s relations with China would not be affected, he said adding the two countries had close ties and were also cooperating in defence matters.

Regretting that the Indo-Russia defence pact was "contrary to the international endeavours for arms control" the Pakistani Foreign Minister said it was "a matter of great concern" for his country, particularly when "Islamabad was trying hard to improve its ties with Moscow".

Mr Aziz asserted "Pakistan does not want to join such a race", but "if we are forced to do so, then we certainly will have to think over it seriously."

BEIJING: China on Tuesday reacted cautiously to Russian Prime Minister proposal on a strategic defence alliance involving his country, India and China, saying Beijing has "an independent foreign policy of peace".

"China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao told the media here.

The very fact that China has not outrightly rejected the Primakov plan is significant, analysts says, as Beijing has all along maintained that it is not interested in entering into or creating military blocs.