'India deserves Security Council seat' -Netherlands
November 22, 1999, 20:30 Hrs (IST)
New Delhi: Netherlands Prime Minister Wim Kok, who arrived here today on a state visit, held wide ranging discussions on developments in the region, cross border terrorism and the Seattle round of talks.
Noting that India was a prominent candidate for the permanent membership of the UN Security Council, he said the country deserves the post.
Wim Kok, who was accorded a warm welcome by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, met President K R Narayanan, Vice President Krishan Kant and Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
According to a senior official of the ministry of external affairs, he was receptive to India's security concerns and supportive of the anti-dumping policy.
The Indian leaders apprised Wim Kok of the impact of cross border terrorism on the country's security. They said the root cause of the problem with Pakistan was not Kashmir but the cross border terrorism promoted by Islamabad.
The visiting Prime Minister also exchanged views with minister of state for external affairs Ajit Panja and principle secretary to the Prime Minister, Brajesh Mishra.
The officials said there was a free and frank discussion on the Seattle round of talks. It was made clear to the visiting leader that protectionist policies of the industrialised world had been the main worry for implementation of the Uruguay round of negotiations.
Win Kok has come at the head of a high level official delegation.
UNI
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