ARMENIA SUPPORTS INDIA’S UNSC BID

Outlook , India
Oct 6 2005

Sunil Gatade, Yeravan (Armenia), Oct 6 (Pti)

Armenia today came out in strong support of India’s bid for permanent
membership in the UN Security Council and shared New Delhi’s views
on Kashmir issue during talks Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
had with its leaders including President Robert Kocharian.

The talks also resulted in India assuring Armenia in providing
fullest cooperation in Information Technology and agriculture
sectors. Meanwhile, the CIS country offered assistance to New Delhi
in science and technology especially in laser technology, in which
it has a competitive edge.

Shekhawat, who is the first leader from a major democracy to visit
this South Causasian country formed after the breakup of Soviet Union
in 1991, saw the Armenian leadership reiterating their positions on
various issues, including UNSC expansion and Kashmir, during warm
and friendly talks.

Armenia is the first country in the world whose Foreign Minister
had made the demand of inclusion of India in the UN Security Council
three years back.

The first Vice Presidential visit to this CIS country witnessed
the signing of an Mou on Parliamentary Cooperation between the two
countries and Shekhawat was given a standing ovation at the National
Assembly whose special session he addressed.

Addressing the National Assembly of Armenia, the Vice President
dwelt at length on the issue of terrorism, saying democracies are
“haunted and threatened most by terrorism”. He said the fight against
the scourge has to be comprehensive and sustained. “We need to isolate
the elements who instigate, support or assist terrorism, in any form,
as much as those who perpetrate it.” His concluding the address with
a sentence in Armenian touched a chord with the Parliamentarians.

The two sides will also be signing a Protocol of Exchange of
Instruments of ratification of the Treaty on friendship and
cooperation. The treaty was signed during 1995 visit to New Delhi of
the then Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossyan.

Shekhawat will be presenting shipping documents of 60 tractors to
Armenian authorities tomorrow which is a gift from India. As part of
a five million dollar grant, New Delhi would be gifting 300 tractors
to Yerevan.