Russia, India seek stronger interparliamentary ties

.

4/9 Tass 174

MOSCOW, September 4 (Itar-Tass) - Indian President Pratibha Patil
welcomed as positive a parliamentary component in relations with Russia
and expressed the hope that interparliamentary ties will be strengthened,
Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov said after a meeting with the
visiting Indian leader.
"The president praised interparliamentary contacts and we are
interested in their strengthening," he said.
"India as a federal state has much in common with Russia. The country
has unique experience of parliamentarism and interparliamentary ties are
of practical interest for us," the speaker said.
He noted that the two countries' parliaments established regular
contacts between commissions and committees. However, the speaker
regretted there had been no contacts between speakers over the past
several years.
In this respect Mironov stressed that on September 29 the
Parliamentary Day will bring together governmental officials and
parliamentarians, including India's Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari.
The Parliamentary Day will be a follow-up of the MAKS 2009 air show
and will focus on the problems of the aircraft-making industry and
international cooperation in this sphere.
Pratibha Patil also expressed interest in boosting interregional
cooperation with Russia that "reached a high level and has big
opportunities for expansion", Mironov said.
-0-isk/ast