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Talks of the President of the Republic in New Delhi

New Delhi, India, 01/29/2007  |  press release


Click to enlargeThe President of the Republic, Dr Janez Drnovšek, who is taking part in an international conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Gandhi’s political programme - Satyagraha – non-violent resistance against discrimination, poverty and violence, met today high-ranking Indian politicians: the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, president of the ruling Congress Party Sonia Gandhi and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pranab Mukherheeh.

At the conference the President Dr Drnovšek gave a speech on the topic “Non-violent resolution of disputes and peace-building”.

Click to enlargeIn the talks between the President and the Indian Prime Minister Dr Singh both sides emphasized the interest of India and Slovenia in strengthening cooperation in all fields. The decision of the Indian government to shortly open an embassy in Ljubljana will be a further step forward in this direction. The Indian Prime Minister stressed that Slovenia is an important partner for India as an EU member country and as the country that is to have the EU presidency next year. It can also be a window to Europe for India.

Click to enlargePresident Drnovšek and Prime Minister Singh agreed in their assessment that the current situation in the world is marked by imbalances and lack of global leadership. This is causing a greater divide between the poor and the rich. However, there is no coordinated activity aimed at stopping the threats to the natural environment. The consequences are increasingly more obvious climate changes, some of which have catastrophic dimensions. They are all the more dangerous because the countries that are the biggest polluters do the least to avert the negative trends.

The Slovenian president Dr Drnovšek said that the principles of Gandhi’s policy in the world today are increasingly more important, since it is obvious that major problems and crises, including those in the Near and Middle East, cannot be resolved by violence but only by talks and the raising of awareness. Premier Dr Singh in particular stressed Indian appreciation of the initiative for peace in Darfur that was launched by the Slovenian President.

The Indian and the Slovenian side agreed that the UN has to undergo reform, in particular it is important to have a balanced composition of the Security Council.

Click to enlargeDuring the talks with Sonia Gandhi Dr Drnovšek said that the world today urgently needs leaders such as was Mahatma Gandhi. This has been confirmed by the great interest shown in the conference dedicated to the continued importance of Gandhi’s teaching.

In the talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pranab Mukherheeh special importance was put on the interest for developing bilateral relations and cooperation between India and the EU. They discussed the problems in the Middle East and the urgent need for all sides involved to abstain from violence and threats, since the conflict in the Middle East has the potential to develop into a conflict of considerable dimensions that would pose a danger for global peace and the future of humanity.

Click to enlargeIn talks with all the representatives of India it was stressed that governments and other institutions have to play their role in solving the global problems, however, a permanent solution can be found only by a high level of consciousness and civil society.

Alongside the conference the President of the Republic Dr Janez Drnovšek met several prominent people, Nobel Prize-winners, political leaders and scientists who participated in the conference dedicated to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi. Among others,

Dr Drnovšek met last year’s Nobel prize-winner Prof Muhammad Yunus and a well-known Norwegian economist Prof Johan Galtung.
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Monday, 29.10.2007
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