Kalamspeak: Foreign policy for national interest, fight terrorism

Against the backdrop of Left parties' serious differences with the government over Iran and nuclear deal with the US, President A P J Abdul Kalam today made it clear that foreign policy was guided by enlightened national interest and disclosed that major initiatives were underway for expansion of investment, trade and technology transfers and a framework for defence cooperation with Washington.

A large part of the President's address was dedicated to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's new portfolio of external affairs. While President Bush's visit has not been officially announced and therefore was not mentioned by the President, he referred in detail to the July 18th Indo-US joint statement.

"The government expects that the country may gain access to international co-operation for enlargement of a our civilian nuclear energy sector based on reciprocal commitments of India and US," he said.

Without taking the name of Iran, on whose nuclear ambitions the UPA coalition and the key supporters "" Left, are divided, Kalam said, "The foreign policy of the government is, as has always been the case, guided by enlightened national interest."

While expressing concern over over infiltration and cross-border terrorism, he reiterated the government's commitment to the composite dialogue process with Pakistan.

Referring to domestic political issues, Kalam said the government had remained deeply committed to national security and pursued a two-pronged approach of reaching out to disaffected sections of the society while dealing firmly with terrorists and other anti-national forces in the North-east and Jammu and Kashmir.

"At the same time, the government is steadfast in its resolve to combat terrorism, militancy and extremism and to uphold the rule of law," he said recalling that it had acted swiftly to deal with terrorist attacks in various parts of the country, including in the national capital and the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

He said the government was engaged in talks with a large number of political groups in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-east. "These talks have progressed in a constructive manner and have contributed to relieving the sense of alienation among some of our people."

On the political front, the President sought to diffuse the controversy that has erupted over the proposed enumeration of personnel belonging to minority communities in the Indian Army by referring to the Justice Rajendra Sachar committee which is making a study of the general socio-economic condition of minorities.

The President said the government was launching a new 15-point programme for minorities which aimed at modernising madrasa education and providing financial support for entrepreneurship development and self employment.