10 October 2006
Tony Blair welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Downing Street for the third annual UK-India summit. After discussing trade, education, terrorism and climate change the two leaders gave a joint press conference.
Parts of this transcript may have been edited
Read the press conference transcript
Prime Minister:
Good Afternoon. First of all can I issue a very warm welcome indeed to the Indian Prime Minister and to all of the Indian delegation. I would like to say how pleased I am at the state of Anglo-Indian relations. The relationship between the UK and India today is probably stronger than it has ever been, it is a strong relationship based on shared values, based on shared interests, based on a common perception about the future and how people live and work together. And I have watched over these past years as this relationship has strengthened and I would like to pay also a personal tribute to the Prime Minister for his work in helping that relationship grow. He is someone, if he will forgive me for saying so, one of the people that I admire most in politics, he is a man of extraordinary intellect, very great practical courage and combines that rather unusually in politics with a fair degree of humility. It is not a very usual combination, but if you will allow me, that is how I feel. And not only as a result of the work that he has done, but the way that our governments have been able to work together and our countries have been able to work together, this relationship is far stronger today than I think people could have anticipated a few years back.
Now there is a practical aspect to all of this. Of course there is something like half a million people from India who visit the UK every year, about 400,000 or more that go the other way. We have now gone I think to being the third largest investor in India, India the third largest investor here, just over the past few years. There is an immense amount of co-operation that we can do economically in terms of trade, which also has increased dramatically over the past few years. In science and innovation we are co-operating very well, but I think both of us feel we could do more there and strengthen it still further. And of course as we are announcing today there are strong educational links but we want to see those strengthened as well and are giving various awards for PhD, for student scholarships and so on.
And one of the remarkable things is that for both of our countries we recognise that the future is being part of the knowledge economy where we are investing strongly in our people, where our human capital is the greatest resource that we have, and this is helping us through these economic and educational ties to strengthen that aspect of our relationship for the future. So that is one very positive part of the picture.
But of course the relationship between Britain and India today is also one of strong co-operation on international issues. For example, with respect to counter terrorism where we are announcing a new package of measures today on co-operation. I mean our two countries share a very common interest, a very common goal and we also share a common view of how people of different faiths and backgrounds and races should live and work together in tolerance and respect for one another, where diversity is seen as a strength for our countries. And both of us tragically have faced terrorism, here in London obviously, in Mumbai in India and more generally throughout the world we can see how these pressures that are trying to pull people apart are growing and it is important that our two countries co-operate strongly on these issues. We are doing that. We are also really creating a whole new field of co-operation in terms of climate change. The growth in India is going to be obviously very, very powerful. India will have a need for energy, it is important that India grows in a sustainable way, and I would like to thank the Prime Minister and thank India for the way they have participated in the Gleneagles dialogue that we established last year, the G8 plus five dialogue, where we took this forward again in Mexico last week and where we really are I think on our way to creating the right type of framework that will allow us once the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012 to have a way forward that will involve all the major countries in the world, including America and China and India.
So these are very important relationships for us, and just in the brief exchange we have had with our Ministers today covering issues like the World trade talks and so on, the common interest that we have got at almost every level in working together is very, very strong indeed. And finally, Prime Minister, I would like to pay tribute to the Indian community here in this country who play a tremendous part in our national life and are deeply valued by us.
But once again, Sir, welcome here to you and to all your colleagues, we are delighted to see you here and we are particularly delighted at the state of our relations today.
Dr Manmohan Singh:
Thank you Prime Minister. Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, it is gratifying for me that Prime Minister Blair and I have kept our commitment to hold a bilateral meeting each year. I deeply appreciate Prime Minister Tony Blair’s personal commitment and involvement to strengthening our strategic partnership. As the world’s largest and the oldest democracies, we obviously share deeply held values and a commitment to democratic institutions and the rule of law. Our co-operation in combating terrorism has become particularly significant. We agreed that there is need for a coherent global effort with shared perspectives and commitments to combat terrorism wherever and whenever such attacks take place. Sadly both the Mumbai and London attacks are reminders of the common terrorist threats we face.
Prime Minister Blair and I will later address an investment summit of our business leaders. There is clearly tremendous opportunity for further expansion of economic linkages, even though they are strong and they are moving in the right direction. We are particularly glad that the United Kingdom views the rapid growth of India as an opportunity that can be used for mutual benefit. In fact US business and industry should look more closely at opportunities unfolding with the quiet but substantive manufacturing revolution taking place in India. While the United Kingdom is India’s fourth largest trading partner, and the fifth largest source of foreign investment into India, India has emerged to become the third largest investor in the United Kingdom in terms of number of projects, in fact foreign direct investment flows from India to the United Kingdom have exceeded those from the United Kingdom into India since 2004. India and the United Kingdom have revitalised co-operation in scientific research and sought ways to link science and innovation with enterprise. We feel the time is right to expand collaboration in knowledge-based industry and to stimulate greater investment through India by both large corporations and small and medium enterprises. As a knowledge economy, India places great store in respecting intellectual property rights issues and data security and protection. We also hope to see a stepping up of co-operation… like education and healthcare, increased cultural exchanges and the movement of people between our countries need to be encouraged.
Prime Minister Blair and I conducted a useful review of issues of global importance and concerns, particularly the future of the Doha round of trade negotiations. We also shared perspectives on developments in our region, as well as on issues relating to energy security and climate change in which the Prime Minister himself has taken a lead in drawing global attention to these crucial issues.
India deeply values friendship and co-operation with the United Kingdom. I am confident that the momentum in our relations will only gather momentum in the coming years and I thank the Prime Minister for his personal interest, strong endorsement and commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations.
Question:
I wonder if you discussed between you nuclear proliferation and whether you would agree that in fact it was India and Pakistan and of course Israel which have led to the current situation where it frankly appears that proliferation is going to continue to other countries, as we are seeing in North Korea, with the west pretty much unable to do anything about it?
Prime Minister:
Well obviously we will be debating and discussing these issues over lunch. We had a brief word about them before. I have to tell you that my view is that North Korea is a very different situation altogether. They are in clear breach of their international obligations and whereas a country like India has been very strong on counter-proliferation, North Korea is going in the opposite direction. It is a very, very serious situation, we are discussing it with key allies now. But the tragedy of North Korea is not just this nuclear test, which is worrying for all the very obvious reasons, it is what is happening in the country of North Korea where its people literally are living in oppression, mass poverty and starvation in some cases while they spend billions of dollars on nuclear weapons, and it is a tragedy. But the only way of dealing with it is to deal with it through a revitalisation of the six party talks and to make sure that North Korea comes back into compliance with its international obligations. And I should say also that I welcome the strong stand that China has taken on this, I think that is important, but we will work closely together in making sure that we deal with this situation. But I regard North Korea as very much a separate case for all the reasons that I have given.
Dr Singh:
Well I agree with what Prime Minister Blair has said. India has expressed deep concern over the DKR nuclear test. It is a violation of its international commitments. India had supported the six party talks which was intended to achieve the goal of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. I wish to state that a further erosion of the non-proliferation regime is not in our interest. We do not support the emergence of another nuclear weapon state. The North Korea test highlights the dangers of clandestine proliferation. In fact India’s own security has suffered due to clandestine proliferation linkages relating from our neighbours. Prime Minister Blair and I expressed concern about the nuclear test putting in jeopardy the stability and security in the Korean Peninsula and I endorse what the Prime Minister has said, that there is no parallel between India’s policies and what has happened in North Korea. We will remain in touch with the United Kingdom on this matter.
Question:
Prime Minister Blair, the Cold War ended 15 years ago but Britain continues to rely on the possession of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons have a salient position in your overall security doctrine, despite the absence of any obvious threat. If a country like Britain can continue to cling to nuclear weapons as an integral part of its own security calculus, why should we be shocked or surprised if a country like North Korea decides to emulate you?
Prime Minister:
I think we have really got to get this argument clear in the international community because otherwise we end up with making comparisons that are completely false. We have a set of international obligations that we adhere to. The difference between a country like Britain or a country like India, and a country like North Korea, is that we are democracies, we abide by the rule of law, we abide by our international obligations. North Korea is doing none of those things. And this is of course a matter of judgment in the end, but here is a country - North Korea - doing a nuclear test in complete breach of all the obligations it has entered into, doing so in circumstances where its people are kept virtually in a position of slavery and where as I say people die of starvation whilst money is spent on nuclear weapons. Now I think as a matter of common sense people can see the difference between that and a country like Britain or a country like India where we are actually trying to work against proliferation of nuclear weapons and where we are proper functioning democracies.
Question:
I wanted to ask about the payments to overseas troops, I know that the details are being announced later and I won’t expect you to go into the details, but why is it that these payments are being made now when troops have been in Iraq for three years and in Afghanistan for five years? Has it got anything to do with certain campaigns being run in newspapers?
Prime Minister:
Look, it is a perfectly fair point, why now? But I think this recent campaign in Afghanistan, which is absolutely vital for our security, for the broader security of the region and the world, has brought home to us that our troops today, along with the troops I may say of many other countries, are facing dangers and facing a type of conflict that a few years back they were unlikely to face, and I think it is important that we recognise that. And that is the purpose of making sure that we give some proper recognition to the exceptional dangers that they are facing, which I am afraid for us and indeed for other countries are becoming parts of the conflicts that we have to face in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in different parts of the world, and I think it is a recognition of that and I think this has been building actually for quite some time and I feel it is the fair thing to do. And I think there are other issues also that we want to look at for our troops because you know these people are at the frontline of a very, very tough struggle indeed and if you had asked me a few years ago could we have anticipated being in these struggles for these lengths of time, I would have said no. But today we and many, many other countries are facing the same type of situation, the same type of challenge and I think it is right to recognise it.
Question:
Prime Minister Blair, if I could put this question to you. As Dr Singh said just a short while ago that India has concerns about clandestine or illegal transfer of nuclear technology, would you share that concern in the context of the North Korean nuclear test?
Prime Minister:
Yes, I think the Prime Minister is absolutely right. Look, some of what we have tried to do in the past few years has been to tighten up on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, technology, transfer of such weapons and so on, and it is worth saying that there has been some significant success there as well. There are countries that have come in from the cold on these types of issues, like Libya, there are networks like that of A Q Khan that have been shut down, there has been a significant amount of progress. But the Prime Minister is absolutely right in stressing the fact that this is a battle that continues the entire time and that is why it is important that we get back into the six party talks that offer the best way of ensuring that stability is returned to the region. And obviously both of us will work very closely to that effect, but the dangers of proliferation can be seen by what has happened you know just in the past few days.
Question:
My question is addressed to the Prime Minister of India. Mr Prime Minister there have been reports that Pakistan and India have agreed to set up a working group on Kashmir. Would you like to confirm or deny it? And the second part of my question is that India has accused Pakistan in involvement in the Mumbai bomb blast, but Pakistan has said that if you provide the proof it is ready to cooperate, to probe and punish the culprits. Would you like to comment on that?
Dr Singh:
My answer to your second question is yes, we will take advantage of that offer of Pakistan and we will provide what we consider as credible evidence to that effect. Now as regards your first question, you must have read the joint statement issued by me and President Musharraf after our meeting in Havana. We have reaffirmed our commitment to discuss and resolve all outstanding issues, including the issue of Jamu and Kashmir. In addition we have agreed to set up an institutional mechanism to deal with terrorist threats and that mechanism is now in the process of being worked out.
Question:
Since the last summit meeting has the sense and understanding of Pakistan’s role in abetting terrorism increased among the two of you?
Prime Minister:
Well I think that we are both agreed that we have got to send the strongest possible signal everywhere that terrorism cannot be tolerated, whether it is in Mumbai, whether it is in London, whether it is in Kashmir, wherever it is. Terrorism is something that we should not tolerate and no country, no government, no state should support it. And obviously I think the meeting that the Prime Minister held with President Musharraf in Havana had a positive outcome, I met President Musharraf myself a couple of weeks ago and we went back over this ground. It is important that we all carry on working to make sure that terrorism does not stop decent people making progress on issues that are difficult. And the tragedy of the modern world I am afraid is that this terrorism is everywhere and there is only one solution to it, which is for the decent moderate people to come together and stand up for the values of tolerance and respect for other people, whether they are from the Christian, the Jewish, the Muslim, the Hindu religion or any other, and I hope that that message is understood by everybody but obviously it is important we reinforce it all the time, and we do.
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