Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-05-Speech-2-233"
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"en.19991005.10.2-233"2
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"I want to stress straight away that I totally share the honourable Member’s enthusiasm for developing our relationship with India. It is not just that we have a very close economic and trade relationship with India; it is not just that we have a relationship based on historical ties. It is much more important than that. We have a relationship based on shared values. In the last few days there has been a fair and free election taking place in India involving an electorate which is larger than the electorate of North America and the European Union put together. India is the largest democracy in the world and has coped with some horrendous problems precisely because it is a free society living under the rule of law, with a fully developed civil society.
I accept that we have to develop that relationship. We have to encourage India’s relationship with the other members of the SAARC, of its regional body. I will certainly discuss the Member’s proposal with my Indian colleague and with Member Governments. But I do not accept that the only way you can demonstrate the importance of a relationship is through a summit. Sometimes there is a danger of them being ceremonial occasions. What we really want with India is a lot more – I will not say beef – muscle in our relationship and a lot more substance to it. That I am determined to do."@en1
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