The Hague (The
Netherlands), November 7
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here tonight to participate in the India-European Union
(EU) summit during which a proposal for a strategic partnership will be finalised.
Dr Manmohan Singh who is leading a high-level delegation comprising External Affairs Minister Natwar
Singh, Industry and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit, is expected to discuss with the host Prime Minister and current President of the 25-member EU Jan Peter Balkenede a wide range of international and regional issues.
The Prime Minister, who is accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur, in a statement in New Delhi before departure said his discussions with EU leadership would be reflected in a comprehensive joint statement to be issued at the conclusion of the two-day summit beginning tomorrow.
Earlier, on Board Prime Minister’s special aircraft, Dr Manmohan Singh virtually ruled out roll-back of the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products, saying that such a move would put a heavy strain on the profitability of public sector companies and “tinkering” with taxes would undermine credibility of the budgetary process.
“We are going to launch an employment guarantee scheme in 150 districts. We are going to spend more on employment, health and education. A lot of money has to be spent. Where the money is going to come from?” he asked.
“Referring to Left parties’ demand for cutting down excise and customs duties, the Prime Minister said: “We are not going to tinker with the tax structure everytime there has to be a re-arrangement of oil prices.
Asked about the Left parties’ objection to his writing a letter to US President George W. Bush congratulating him on his re-election and his hopes for a stronger relationship between the two countries, he said: “we have to take realities of the world into account. —
PTI
