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Indian Prime Minister and Commonwealth Secretary-General on Post-CHOGM Discussions

16 February 2006

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon called on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during an official visit to India from 13 to 16 February 2006. They discussed major outcomes of the November 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon called on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during an official visit to India from 13 to 16 February 2006.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon and the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh
The Secretary-General also expressed appreciation to the Prime Minister for India's continued commitment to the Commonwealth, with its pledge of one million Euros (£700,000) to the Special Commonwealth Fund for the Digital Divide and an increased contribution to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation.

Mr McKinnon noted that India would be hosting the annual conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in 2007 and the 19th Commonwealth Games in 2010.

Dr Singh stated India was keen to strengthen the Commonwealth and reaffirmed his country's support for the 53-member association. The Prime Minister said that although he was unable to attend the Malta CHOGM, he commended the meeting for producing good outcomes which had enhanced the relevance of the Commonwealth.

The Secretary-General also held talks with the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Kamal Nath; the Minister for Youth Affairs, Sports and Panchayati Raj, Mani Shankar Aiyar; and the Minister of State for External Affairs, Anand Sharma. He met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), Somnath Chatterjee, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House), Jaswant Singh.

While in New Delhi, Mr McKinnon also addressed the opening of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association's biennial general conference on 15 February (see separate article).

The Secretary-General travels to Bangladesh on 16 February and to Pakistan on 17 February.

 


CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 272, 15 February 2006

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