NEW DELHI, India West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl arrived Sunday for a four-day visit that was to include talks with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on economic issues and the activities of German-based Sikhs.
The first stop for Kohl and his wife, Hannelore, was the city of Agra, about 100 miles south of New Delhi, for a one-day private tour of monuments such as the Taj Mahal and the deserted Moghul town of Fatehpur Sikri.
‘On Monday, Kohl was scheduled to travel to New Delhi for the start of his official visit, his first to India since 1983 when he met the late Prime Minister Indira GanGhi, Kohl was to visit a memorial to Mrs. President, who was slain by two security men in 1984, and meet President Zail Singh before holding official talks with Mrs. Gandhi’s son and successor, Rajiv.
‘On Tuesday, Kobl is to tour an Indo-German joint venture, an aeronautics factory in the city of Kanpur, 225 miles east of New Delhi and visit Nobel Peace Prizewinner Mother Teresa of Calcutta,Kohl leaves India Wednesday for Bangkok en route to Japan for the seven-nation economic summit May 4-6,
The West German leader told Indian reporters last week that the agenda for his talks with Gandhi would include the activities of Sikhs in his country, which New Delhi sees as a minor irritant in its relations with Bonn.
India believes Sikhs abroad, particularly in Britain, Canada and the United States, are supporting Sikh freedom fighters in the Indian state of Punjab.
Indian Foreign Ministry officials say they are generally satisfied with Bonn’s efforts to prevent Sikh activity in Germany. But Indian has expressed concern over the June 1984 release by a West German court of Talwinder Singh Parmer, a Sikh wanted in India for alleged criminal offenses.
Kohl told the Indian reporters that he might discuss a possible extradition treaty.
The chancellor also said his talks would focus on India’s trade deficit with Germany. In fiscal 1984, India’s exports to Germany totaled $371 million, compared with imports from Germany worth more than $1 billion; Kobl said Bonn would look for new markets for Indian goods in his country. Indian officials say they are pleased by Germany’s efforts to correct the imbalance.
Other likely topics are a possible increase in West German economic aid to India, currently amounting to $790 million annually, and new areas to German investment. Kohl’s delegation includes West German Economic Cooperation Minister Jurgen Warnke.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 2, 1986
