NEW DELHI: “This is the foreign visits season in India,” Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao said amidst laughter when a questioner asked if there was any special significance in the visits in exile exception by foreign dignitaries, including John Major, Boris Yeltsin and Helmut Kohl.
It was not so much of a coincidence but a good thing that the leaders were coming one after the other and it gave an opportunity for dialogue, Rao said addressing a joint press conference with the Russian President.
Rao said Yeltsin’s visit had been postponed again and again and he was glad that the Russian President had made it now.
British Prime Minister John Major was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations and the visit of German Chancellor Hermut Kohl in early next month has been worked out after mutual consultations, he added. Asked when he proposed to visit Russia, Rao said it had been decided that the dates of the visit would be worked out through diplomatic channels.
Meanwhile, Boris Yeltsin described his visit to India as most Successful.
Talking to reporters before his departure for Moscow, Yelis in said the outcome of his talks with Indian leaders was very satisfying.
He was seen off at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Shanker Dayal Sharma, Prime Minister PY Narasimha Rao and his senior Cabinet colleagues and ‘top officials.
During his stay, Yeltsin had wide ranging discussions on a number of bilateral and international issues.
The visit was considered a landmark in Indo-Russian relations as the two countries signed 10 agreements.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 5, 1993
