President Of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee Interview To Cihan News Agency, Turkey

PRESIDENT OF INDIA INTERVIEW TO CIHAN NEWS AGENCY, TURKEY

1- FIRST VISIT AFTER 15 YEARS BY AN INDIAN PRESIDENT. GENERAL PURPOSE AND AGENDA OF THE VISIT? MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION?

There have been many State visits between India and Turkey. Two Indian Presidents have visited Turkey and my visit will be the third one. There have been an equal number of visits from the Turkish side. President Abdullah Gul visited India in 2010 and I am now returning the visit. Our Vice President Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari visited in October 2011 and our External Affairs Minister in July this year.

Both India and Turkey are committed to develop the partnership. My visit highlights the importance that India gives to improving our bilateral relations with Turkey. It is my hope that the visit will give an impetus to all aspects of Indo-Turkish relations and new thrust areas will be identified during my interactions and those of my delegation in Turkey.

Mr. G. K. Vasan, Minister of Shipping and a five-member multi party delegation of Members of Parliament, including Vice Chancellors of leading Indian Universities among others are to accompany me.

2- TWO EMERGING ECONOMIES, WHAT FIELDS OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION ARE AIMED?

India-Turkey trade had increased steadily, reaching over US $ 7 billion in 2011, well surpassing the target set for US$ 5 billion for 2010.

Investments are increasing in both directions. More than 100 Indian companies have registered businesses in Turkey in the form of joint ventures, trade and representative offices. Indian companies have interest in infrastructure projects as well as in the automobile sector, energy and steel. The number of Turkish companies in India is also increasing, including in the Roads and Highways sector and construction of pipelines.

Institutional arrangements in terms of Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation (JCETC) and a Joint Business Council (JBC) exist between the two countries. Additional agreements for cooperation in Science and Technology and Medium Small and Micro Enterprises are expected to be concluded while I am in Turkey.

3- BOTH CULTURALLY VERY CLOSE NATIONS, WHAT SORT OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL COOPERATION IS AIMED WITH VISIT?

India and Turkey have been closely connected by historical bonds of culture, philosophy and language since time immemorial, and this offers one of the firmest foundation on which to build the edifice of our engagement. A whole range of activities support our interaction in the cultural arena; this includes institutions for cooperation between the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) and our state broadcasters Doordarshan and Prasar Bharti, in the field of Archives, as well as for twinning agreements between some of the historical cities of India and Turkey.

4- EDUCATION AS A FIELD OF COOPERATION? STATE SCHOLARSHIPS TO INCREASE ACADEMIC EXCHANGE?

In both our societies, youth forms an important part of our demography. Accordingly for our youth, the future global citizens of the world, it is incumbent on us to make the best possible opportunities available to them.

Education, research and innovation have been identified as priority areas and I am happy to note that the leading universities of India and Turkey will be signing five agreements for cooperation during my visit. Scholarships in professional and vocational fields are offered by the Government of India to Turkish nationals, and there already have been institutional tie-ups to take such cooperation forward.

5- TOURISM? CIVIL AVIATION’S IMPORTANCE IN TOURISM? TURKISH AIRLINES ROLE. POSSIBILITY OF INDIAN CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY’S PERMISSION TO TURKISH AIRLINES TO INCREASE FLIGHTS.

Given our shared cultural heritage in today’s modern world, connectivity becomes a sine qua non for enhanced interaction between our two countries. Not only should there be physical connectivity but also through exchanges in other fields like music, films, visual and performing arts and media, all of which are critical for increasing people to people contacts, trade and economic relations.

There has been a steady increase in tourist visiting each others’ countries. There is a need to encourage such interaction. With increased people to people contacts, there would certainly be a need to increase connectivity, from both sides.

6- DEFENCE SECTOR. BOTH HAVE STRONG ARMIES IN THEIR REGIONS. HIGH LEVEL MILITARILY VISITS EXCHANGED IN LAST YEARS. ANY POSSIBLE COOPERATION OR EXERCISE TOGETHER?

Defence cooperation is indeed one of the areas in which there is potential to expand interaction with Turkey. During the visit of the Turkish PM Erdogan to India in November 2008, both Prime Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation between two defence forces through military to military contacts and training exchanges. A bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement has been proposed to be signed, and is under consideration with the Turkish side for some time now.

7- CENTRAL ASIA AND AFGANISTAN ARE COMMON NATIONAL INTEREST FOR ENERGY CORRIDORS AND STRATEGY. ANY POSSIBLE COOPERATION ?

India believes that Afghanistan can play its historical role as the hub of inter-regional trade, stemming from the country’s strategic location at the crossroads of West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. A strong, self-sustainable and viable Afghan state in the post 2014 situation warrants developing alternate corridors of trade, transport and energy, thereby enmeshing Afghanistan in a network of mutually inclusive trade channels and assisting the transformation of Afghanistan from being an aid based economy to a trade based economy in the coming years. This, of course, is contingent upon Afghanistan having smooth transit and access to the regional markets and sea ports through its immediate neighbours.

At a multilateral level, India, Turkey and other regional countries have come together under the framework of the Istanbul process to present a new vision of cooperation and confidence building for the region, with Afghanistan at its centre and consisting of regional countries, supporting countries and international organizations. India is actively participating in all the CBMs and leads the CBM on Trade, Commerce and Investment Opportunities. India also hosted the successful "Delhi Summit on Investment in Afghanistan” last year to attract foreign investments into Afghanistan.

For stability in Afghanistan, it is essential that the international community remains engaged in Afghanistan and supports it in this process of transition and transformation. It is also essential that the root cause of problems in Afghanistan, which is terrorism emanating from beyond the borders of Afghanistan, is tackled firmly.

India and Turkey have both had extensive contacts with the Central Asian region through the ages. India and Turkey have in place a dialogue mechanism to exchange views on Central Asia. India and Turkey have a shared interest in the stability and security of Afghanistan and Central Asia. Indian companies are open to collaborating with Turkish partners on joint projects in the region. India intends to participate in energy cooperation projects, and in the development of regional transportation corridors.

8- CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES OF TURKEY SECOND LARGEST IN THE WORLD. TURKEY’S ROLE IN INDIA’S NEXT 15 YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.

India has opened its infrastructure development needs to global companies and is seeking state of the art technologies from across the world. Anticipated requirement is of an expenditure to the tune of US$ 1 trillion over the next five years for which investment expertise and technical knowhow are welcome. India welcomes Turkish companies to participate in such projects. There have been initial breakthroughs. Turkish companies already have a presence in India, and I understand, they have participated, in collaboration with Indian companies in some sectors like our National highways, constructing a dam in Jammu & Kashmir and the cargo terminal at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, and vice versa, leading Indian companies have invested in infrastructure in Turkey with Istanbul airport being just one example.

9- SYRIA. AS INDIA HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN UN, WHAT’S INDIA’S STAND TO BRING PEACE IN SYRIA?

The continuing violence in Syria and the humanitarian crisis arising out of it are of deep concern to us. India has consistently called upon all sides to abjure violence so that conditions can be created for an inclusive political dialogue leading to a comprehensive political solution, taking into account the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria. India’s policy on Syria has been guided by its long standing ties with the region as well as its vital economic, energy and diaspora interests.

We believe that there can be no military solution to this conflict. The reported use of chemical weapons in Syria is a matter of deep concern. India has consistently supported the complete destruction and elimination of chemical weapons worldwide. India has welcomed the framework agreement reached between Russia and the US on the time-bound safeguarding and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles as well as the recent steps taken by Syria to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention. We hope that the recent peace efforts will lead to early convening of the proposed ‘International Conference on Syria’ (Geneva-II), under the auspices of UN, which will bring all parties involved in the Syrian conflict to the negotiating table for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

10- WHAT IS INDIA’S APPROACH TO BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH PAKISTAN?

India desires peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations with Pakistan, which requires an environment free from terror and violence. India is firmly resolved to combat and defeat the terrorist menace that continues to receive encouragement and reinforcement from across the border. We have consistently stressed the need for Pakistan to honour its solemn commitment of not allowing territory under its control to be used for terrorism directed against India in any manner. Pakistan must also show determined action to dismantle the terrorist networks, organizations and infrastructure operating from territories under its control.

There is expectation from the people of India that Pakistan will show tangible movement in investigating and bringing to justice quickly those Pakistanis responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack in November 2008, including those whose trial is presently underway in Islamabad.

11- HOW DOES INDIA PLAN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF KASHMIR WITH PAKISTAN?

India remains committed to the resolution of all outstanding issues with Pakistan, including those pertaining to the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir through a peaceful bilateral dialogue as mutually agreed under the Simla Agreement of 1972. For this dialogue to progress meaningfully, an environment free from cross-border terrorism and violence along the Line of Control is an essential prerequisite.