Your Content Goes Here
NEW DELHI India: Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi is expected to focus on trade and industrial cooperation during four nation trip starting ‘on Monday, official sources said, Gandhi leaves for Jakarta and starts three day visit to Australia on Tuesday. He arrives in Auckland October 17 for a two day visit to New Zealand and will visit Thailand on October 19 before returning home.
Security will be tight during the eight day trip, particularly in Bangkok where some of the Thailand’s 20,000 Sikhs are expected to stage protest demonstrations, the sources said. Gandhi escaped an assassination attempt on October 2. A Sikh has been charged with the attempt,
In Jakarta, Gandhi’s talks with President Suharto will include the expansion of bilateral economic ties and Indonesia’s bid to host the 1989 Summit meeting of the nonaligned movement, the sources said.
Gandhi’s visit to Thailand, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to that country, is viewed as a significant opportunity for strengthen ties, the sources said.
The two countries differ over India’s recognitions of Kampuchea’s Vietnamese backed government; The issue is expected to come up in Gandhi’s talks with ‘Thai Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda but India will not present any new initiatives on the dispute, the sources said,
India will propose joint industrial Ventures and cooperation in fishing and discuss a barter deal that would swap Indian railway coaches for Thai industrial rubber, they added.
Gandhi and Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke are expected to call for stronger international measures against South Africa their talks in Canberra on Wednesday, the sources said.
‘The two leaders have taken a common stand on the issue since they met during the Common ‘wealth conference in Nassau last February.
Gandhi will also meet Governor General Sir Ninian Stephen and address the National Press Club in Canberra.
He will visit Sydney on October 15 for talks with Australian business and! Union leaders. India wants to end is trade deficit ‘Australia, the sources said.
They said Gandhi would also push a bid by India’s state owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited for a 45 million dollar contact to refurbish Australia’s power stations.
India and Australia are expected to sign an agreement on expanding scientific and technological cooperation during the visit, the sources said.
India’s external affairs Minister P. Shiv Shankar, who is also in charge of the Commerce Ministry, ‘will negotiate purchases of Australian rough diamonds and steel and lead pellets, they added.
In Auckland, Gandhi’s talks with New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange on October 17 will focus on boosting two way trade, estimated at 33| million dollars in 1985.
Gandhi, who will be accompanied by his Italian born wife, Sonia, will visit a Maori Reserve at Rotorua the next day before leaving for Thailand, the sources said.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 17, 1986
