Press Information Bureau (press release), India
Sept 29 2005
VISIT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRI BHAIRON SINGH SHEKHAWAT TO
ROMANIA, BELARUS AND ARMENIA FROM OCTOBER 1-8, 2005
The Vice President of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat will pay a
State visit to Romania, Belarus and Armenia from October 1-8, 2005.
He will be accompanied by 4 Members of Parliament namely Dr. Chandan
Mitra, Shri K. Jana Krishnamurthy, Shri P.K. Maheshwari and Shri
Robert Kharshing and senior government officials.
Shri Shekhawat’s visit to Romania (October 1-4) is at the invitation
of Senator Nicolae Vacaroiu, President of the Senate of Romania. The
Vice President’s first engagement will be to participate in a
ceremony dedicated to the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on the
morning of October 2, 2005 at India House. He will meet the same day,
the members of the Indian community in Romania and the Indo-Romanian
Cultural Association.
During his visit, Hon’ble Vice-President will meet H.E. Mr. Traian
Basescu, President of Romania, H.E. Mr. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu,
Prime Minister of Romania, H.E. Mr. loan-Codrut Seres, Minister of
Economy and Commerce and H.E. Mr. Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, Minister of
Foreign Affairs apart from his host, the President of the Senate and
Senator George Sabin Cutas, Deputy Speaker. He will also meet Speaker
of the Chambers of the Deputies, H.E. Mr. Adrian Nastase. Hon’ble
Vice-President will also meet other Senators and visit the Palace of
Parliament where he will attend the Senate Plenary Session.
Hon’ble Vice-President will also visit Peles Castle and Sinaia
Monastery during his visit to Romania.
Shri Shekhawat’s visit to Belarus (October 4-6), is at the invitation
of Mr. G. Novitski, former Prime Minister and currently Chairman of
Council of Republic (Upper House) in the National Assembly of
Belarus.
During his visit, the Vice President would be meeting the Belarusian
President and a dinner would be hosted in the honour of the visiting
dignitary by the Chairman, Council of Republic (Upper House). The
programme drawn for the visit, in addition to the political meetings,
provide for a visit to a tractor factory which would showcase the
strength of Belarusian technology. A cultural programme and wreath
laying ceremony to the victims of the Second World War are there in
the Vice-President’s programme.
An agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between
the Republic of India and Republic of Belarus would be signed during
the visit.
The visit of the Vice-President to Armenia (October 6-8) is in
response to an invitation extended by the present Armenian President
Mr. R. Kocharian who visited India in October-November, 2003.
Shri Shekhawat’s visit is in the context of India’s commitment to
maintain close and friendly relations with the countries of the
Caucasus region of which Armenia forms an important part.
During the visit, the Armenian President would be hosting a lunch in
the honour of Vice-President. The visiting dignitary would also be
addressing the special session of the National Assembly of Armenia.
He is the first Indian dignitary to do so. An honorary degree of
Doctor of Medicine with a University Gold Medal would be conferred on
Vice-President by the Yerevan State Medical University.
Prior to Shri Shekhawat’s visit, the then President Dr. S.
Radhakrishnan and the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi visited
Armenia in 1964 and 1976 respectively.
Shri Shekhawat will be returning to India in the evening of October
8.