ID :
210330
Thu, 09/29/2011 - 20:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/210330
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President Patil leaves on Friday to Switzerland, Austria
New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) Indian President Pratibha Patil
will embark on Friday on a two-nation visit to Switzerland and
Austria during which she will hold a series of bilateral talks
with the leadership there in which the issue of blackmoney
stashed by Indians in Swiss banks is likely to figure.
"The entire gamut of bilateral, regional and international
issues will be discussed between the leaders of the two
countries (India-Switzerland)," M Ganapathi, Secretary
(West), Ministry of External Affairs, said while briefing
reporters on Patil's eight-day visit.
He was responding to a question if the issue of
blackmoney stashed by Indians in Swiss bank accounts will
figure in the discussions.
Asked again if there was such a possibility, he said, "I
would just like to repeat that the President would discuss the
entire gamut of bilateral relations and also regional and
international issues."
Patil would be visiting Switzerland from September 30 to
October 4 and then will travel to Austria for a state visit
from October 4 to 7.
On whether the issue of revised Double Taxation Avoidance
Treaty with Switzerland will figure during the President's
visit, Ganapathi said, "The amending protocol to the Double
Taxation Avoidance Agreement was concluded nearly hundred days
ago.
"The procedure for that is, we have ratified it in India
and in the case of the Swiss Confederation, after it is
introduced in Parliament it has to wait for 100 days before it
comes up as a ratified document.
"Thereafter, there will be exchange of letters between
the two sides (Indian and Swiss governments) for it to be
effective. One of the most important elements in the amended
protocol is Article 26 relating to exchange of information."
The 100-day limit will expire only on October 6, by
which time the President will be in Austria.
Besides, a 45-member business delegation led by former
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
President and Chairman of Modi Enterprises K K Modi,
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla,
Members of Parliament Vijay Jawaharlal Darda, Prataprao
Ganpatrao Jadhav, and Chinta Mohan will also accompany the
President.
President would also be visiting the European
Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN). The facility is one
of the most important areas of research in particle physics.
During the trip, some official agreements are also likely
to be signed but MEA officials did not specify in which
fields.
"Agreements are in the stages of finalisation. So, we
expect to have some of these finalised. I think as we go on we
will have them delivered," Ganapathi said.
In Switzerland, the President will pay homage to Mahatma
Gandhi on October 2 at his statue in Geneva.
The statue was unveiled in November 2007 to commemorate
the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between India and Switzerland.
While in Berne, the President will hold official talks
with the President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline
Calmy-Rey, and other members of the Federal Council.
President will also unveil a bust of Rabindranath Tagore
at the University of Lausanne on October 4.
An MoU is expected to be signed between the University
and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on setting up of
a Chair on Indian Studies.
Incidentally, the country is celebrating the 150th
anniversary of Tagore's birth.
In Austria, Patil will meet her counterpart Heinz Fischer
and the Federal Chancellor of Austria, Werner Faymann.
The President will also visit the Austrian Parliament and
meet the President of the National Council, Barbara Prammer
and members of the Friends of India Group in the Austrian
Parliament.
While in Switzerland and Austria, the President will also
meet and address members of the Indian community.
There are around 15,500 Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) in
Switzerland and around 20,000 PIOs in Austria.
The President will address the Indo-Swiss Business Forum
in Berne on October 4 and the India-Austria Business Forum
Meet in Vienna on October 6.
The members of the Indian business delegation accompanying
the President include representatives from the FICCI,
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Associated Chambers
of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
Two-way trade in 2010 between India and Switzerland
touched USD 3.8 billion and between Austria and India it was
over USD 1.2 billion.
"Both Switzerland and Austria are renowned for their
experience and expertise in activities in the high technology
related area, renewable and clean energy, infrastructure
development, vocational education, small and medium
enterprises, drugs and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology besides
others.
"The presence of the business delegation will allow both
sides to consider the opportunities which exists in not only
taking forward the current commercial exchanges but in also
considering the considerable untapped potential which so
exists," Ganapathi said.
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam had visited
Switzerland in 2005.
will embark on Friday on a two-nation visit to Switzerland and
Austria during which she will hold a series of bilateral talks
with the leadership there in which the issue of blackmoney
stashed by Indians in Swiss banks is likely to figure.
"The entire gamut of bilateral, regional and international
issues will be discussed between the leaders of the two
countries (India-Switzerland)," M Ganapathi, Secretary
(West), Ministry of External Affairs, said while briefing
reporters on Patil's eight-day visit.
He was responding to a question if the issue of
blackmoney stashed by Indians in Swiss bank accounts will
figure in the discussions.
Asked again if there was such a possibility, he said, "I
would just like to repeat that the President would discuss the
entire gamut of bilateral relations and also regional and
international issues."
Patil would be visiting Switzerland from September 30 to
October 4 and then will travel to Austria for a state visit
from October 4 to 7.
On whether the issue of revised Double Taxation Avoidance
Treaty with Switzerland will figure during the President's
visit, Ganapathi said, "The amending protocol to the Double
Taxation Avoidance Agreement was concluded nearly hundred days
ago.
"The procedure for that is, we have ratified it in India
and in the case of the Swiss Confederation, after it is
introduced in Parliament it has to wait for 100 days before it
comes up as a ratified document.
"Thereafter, there will be exchange of letters between
the two sides (Indian and Swiss governments) for it to be
effective. One of the most important elements in the amended
protocol is Article 26 relating to exchange of information."
The 100-day limit will expire only on October 6, by
which time the President will be in Austria.
Besides, a 45-member business delegation led by former
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
President and Chairman of Modi Enterprises K K Modi,
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla,
Members of Parliament Vijay Jawaharlal Darda, Prataprao
Ganpatrao Jadhav, and Chinta Mohan will also accompany the
President.
President would also be visiting the European
Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN). The facility is one
of the most important areas of research in particle physics.
During the trip, some official agreements are also likely
to be signed but MEA officials did not specify in which
fields.
"Agreements are in the stages of finalisation. So, we
expect to have some of these finalised. I think as we go on we
will have them delivered," Ganapathi said.
In Switzerland, the President will pay homage to Mahatma
Gandhi on October 2 at his statue in Geneva.
The statue was unveiled in November 2007 to commemorate
the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between India and Switzerland.
While in Berne, the President will hold official talks
with the President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline
Calmy-Rey, and other members of the Federal Council.
President will also unveil a bust of Rabindranath Tagore
at the University of Lausanne on October 4.
An MoU is expected to be signed between the University
and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on setting up of
a Chair on Indian Studies.
Incidentally, the country is celebrating the 150th
anniversary of Tagore's birth.
In Austria, Patil will meet her counterpart Heinz Fischer
and the Federal Chancellor of Austria, Werner Faymann.
The President will also visit the Austrian Parliament and
meet the President of the National Council, Barbara Prammer
and members of the Friends of India Group in the Austrian
Parliament.
While in Switzerland and Austria, the President will also
meet and address members of the Indian community.
There are around 15,500 Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) in
Switzerland and around 20,000 PIOs in Austria.
The President will address the Indo-Swiss Business Forum
in Berne on October 4 and the India-Austria Business Forum
Meet in Vienna on October 6.
The members of the Indian business delegation accompanying
the President include representatives from the FICCI,
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Associated Chambers
of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
Two-way trade in 2010 between India and Switzerland
touched USD 3.8 billion and between Austria and India it was
over USD 1.2 billion.
"Both Switzerland and Austria are renowned for their
experience and expertise in activities in the high technology
related area, renewable and clean energy, infrastructure
development, vocational education, small and medium
enterprises, drugs and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology besides
others.
"The presence of the business delegation will allow both
sides to consider the opportunities which exists in not only
taking forward the current commercial exchanges but in also
considering the considerable untapped potential which so
exists," Ganapathi said.
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam had visited
Switzerland in 2005.
