SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS INDIA 5-8 APRIL

Press Release
SG/T/2092

SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS INDIA 5-8 APRIL

NEW DELHI, 8 April -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mrs. Annan departed New York for New Delhi on Thursday, 3 April. They arrived on Saturday, 5 April. Having laid a wreath at Rajghat, a memorial (Samadhi) to Mahatma Gandhi, the Secretary-General and his party called on the Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda. The exchange of views included the questions of United Nations reform, the composition of the Security Council, disarmament, regional relations and human rights.

The Secretary-General then called on the Minister of External Affairs, Inder Kumar Gujral, to whom he expressed his satisfaction with the recent regional initiatives of India, as well as with the resumption of the India- Pakistan talks at the Foreign Secretaries level. They also discussed issues of disarmament, including India's position on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty and the question of ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention, as well as the questions of United Nations reform and the possible expansion of the Security Council.

The Secretary-General also paid a courtesy call on President Shankar Dayal Sharma. Over lunch, the Secretary-General met with India's leading press editors. He presented his ideas concerning the adaptation of the United Nations to both present and future challenges. In the afternoon, Mr. Annan met with the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, and with the President of the All India Congress Committee, Sitaram Kesri.

Later that day, the Secretary-General attended a dinner hosted by the Minister of External Affairs. In his toast, Mr. Gujral welcomed the emphasis on the development of developing countries given by Mr. Annan during their meeting earlier in the day and stressed that India was committed to strengthening multilateralism. The Secretary-General, in reply, praised the role of India in the United Nations since its inception and spoke briefly of the direction of the reforms that will determine the future role of the United Nations.

On Sunday, 6 April, during a press opportunity, Mr. Annan called for the rapid deployment of a peace-keeping force in Albania, as authorized by the Security Council on 28 March.

- 2 - Press Release SG/T/2092 9 April 1997

On Monday, 7 April, the Secretary-General delivered a statement to the inaugural session of the XII Ministerial Conference of the Movement of Non- Aligned Countries (NAM). He praised members of NAM for their active support of United Nations peace-keeping and for the support to the goal of a more effective, modernized and relevant United Nations.

The Secretary-General attended a lunch organized in his honour by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Later in the afternoon, the Secretary- General called on the leader of the opposition, Atal Behari Vajpayee. They exchanged views on the India-Pakistan talks, the reform of the Security Council, regional relations, the situation in the Great Lakes area and the current crisis in the Middle East peace process.

Following the meeting, the Secretary-General held a press conference. Questions focused on the situation in the Great Lakes region, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Kashmir, sanctions against Iraq, disarmament, the expansion of the Security Council, the current situation in and the future role of the United Nations, its financial crisis and the role of the United Nations in development.

The Secretary-General and his party departed for Geneva on Tuesday, 8 April.

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