The Hindu : We want peace with neighbours: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 14, 2003

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We want peace with neighbours: PM

Gangtok April 13. Without naming Pakistan, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said India wanted peace and friendship with all its neighbours but added ``one cannot clap with one hand''.

At a public meeting at the TNA grounds here, Mr. Vajpayee also spoke about peace on the border.

``We want peace and friendship with all our neighbours. But, we cannot clap with one hand. The initiative for peace can be taken by either side,'' he said. ``Somebody said one cannot clap with one hand. What if one has only one hand?''

``Ham ne kaha chutki bajane ke liye. Lekin chutki me bhi shanti ke baat honi chahiye (I asked them to snap their fingers. But then even that should be done with the message of peace),'' he said.

Referring to the Iraq war, he said ``it is good the war in Iraq has ended, paving the way for peace and development.''

The Prime Minister praised the State Government for keeping the population growth in check.

``Our aim should be to fight illiteracy, hunger and poverty. We have always stood for this. We have never hankered after power, for, after all, we were in the opposition for 50 years.''

Stating that the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, had placed a list of demands before him, Mr. Vajpayee said he would extend as much Central assistance as possible to fulfil them.

Earlier, Mr. Chamling thanked the Centre for including his State in the North Eastern Council.

Names orchid after Kalpana Chawla

Mr. Vajpayee named an orchid at the Whithall Flower Show here after Kalpana Chawla.

The Prime Minister, who visited the orchid house this morning, named the orchid Catlaleya Kalpana Chawla, after the India-born U.S. astronaut who died in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy recently.

Mr. Chamling named another orchid Denrobium Atal Bihari Vajpayee after the Prime Minister himself.

PTI, UNI

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