Envoys Of Eight Nations Present Credentials To President Of India

Eight envoys presented their credentials to the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The envoys who presented their credentials were: - His Excellency Mr. Oleksandr D. Shevchenko, the Ambassador of Ukraine, His Excellency Mr. Dembo Badjie, the High Commissioner of Gambia, Her Excellency Mrs. Khadija Radman Mohamed Gahnem, the Ambassador of Yemen, His Excellency Mr. Stewart Beck, the High Commissioner of Canada, His Excellency Dr. Ali Abd-al-Aziz al-Isawi, the Ambassador of Libya, His Excellency Dr Samuel Kaveto Mbambo, the High Commissioner of Namibia, His Excellency Mr. Peep Jahilo,, the Ambassador of Estonia and His Excellency Mr. Lucio Amati, the Ambassador of San Marino.

While welcoming them, the President mentioned that the envoys were beginning their tenure at a time when India would soon commence its two year term as Non-Permanent Member of the UN Security Council. She stated that India looked forward to working with the international community to fulfill its obligations as a responsible Member of the Security Council. Referring to the need for urgent reforms of the UN, including the expansion of the Security Council, the President said that India has all the credentials to be a permanent member, in an expanded UN Security Council. The President called for building harmony in the world, and in this context, highlighted the role of trade, investment and greater people-to-people contacts in promoting greater understanding and linkages between countries and societies. She emphasized the need for all countries to work together to defeat terrorism which poses the greatest threat to progress and prosperity. The President referred to India's commitment to further strengthen its ties with countries, whose envoys had presented their credentials, across a broad range of fields on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

The credential presentation ceremony was attended by the senior members of the missions, senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

This release issued at 17:20 hrs.