M A I N   N E W S

PM defends pace of reforms

London, November 7
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said that reforms carried out in a democratic country like India are more deeply rooted and sustainable, and democracy cannot be blamed for impeding reforms.

Vehemently rejecting any suggestion, either that reform has been too slow or that India’s democracy should be blamed for its slowness, Mr Vajpayee said in an interview to the Financial Times: “We cannot accuse democracy of impeding reforms.”

“I also do not accept that our reforms process has been ‘stop-go’ in nature. It is natural — and beneficial for the durability of reforms — that the process should move forward on the basis of broad consultations and reconciliation.

“I would go one step further and say that our new experience of successful coalition governments has been ideal in balancing divergent views and accommodating regional and sectoral interests more effectively.”

Vajpayee to open conference
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 7
The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will inaugurate the third SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Information Ministers conference here on Tuesday.

Barring Sri Lanka, Information Ministers of Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan, have confirmed their participation at the two-day meeting. Secretaries of SAARC countries will assemble here on Monday for a preparatory meeting to reach an official consensus on the agenda.