Envoys of seven countries present credentials to President Patil

NEW DELHI - Seven envoys of different countries presented their credentials to President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Wednesday.

The envoys who presented their credentials were-Dr. Ruben I. Zamora, the Ambassador of El Salvador, Ronald B. Allarey, the Ambassador of the Philippines, Thongphanh Syackhaphom, the Ambassador of Laos, Doulat O. Kuanyshev, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Dr. Nanguyalai Tarzi, the Ambassador of Afghanistan, Marco Piccinini, the Ambassador of Monaco and Byron Escobedo Menendez, the Ambassador of Guatemala.

In her interaction with the envoys, President Patil observed that they represented nations spanning different geographical zones, and with whom India enjoys friendly relations.

She said that India is a country with a wide diversity and offers to many, areas for strengthening mutual cooperation.

“Developing good relations with nations is one of the main objectives of India’s foreign policy,” said President Patil.

She also stated that India believes that promotion of mutual understanding between peoples is essential for world peace, which in turn is conducive for economic growth and progress of nations.

In her address, President Patil mentioned that in the contemporary world, prospects of peace are threatened by forces of extremism and terrorism.

“Fighting terrorism requires a firm commitment by the international community to act collectively and decisively. Drugs, gun-running and piracy, with their deep links to terrorism, add to the complexities faced while dealing with terrorism,” she said.

President Patil also said the global economy is recovering from the financial crisis of 2008-09, but the challenges of sustaining growth remains.

“For developing countries, higher growth rates are important to meet the aspirations of their people,” she said. (ANI)