India, France Hold Fifth Round of Strategic DialogueIndia and France Monday held the fifth round of their strategic dialogue, which covered issues of regional security, terrorism, disarmament and non- proliferation, an official release said.The Indian side, led by Brajesh Mishra, principal secretary to the prime minister, and the French side, headed by Gerard Errera, special envoy of the French president and the French government, discussed developments in the regions around India and France and issues of regional security, including the Balkans, said the release from India's External Affairs Ministry. The recent G-8 Summit, United Nations Security Council expansion and related multilateral issues also figured in the talks, which were "comprehensive and wide-ranging", it added. The discussions demonstrated that India and France have a shared perception on many international and regional issues, the release commented. The dialogue has led to "better mutual understanding and deepening and strengthening of the strategic partnership between the two countries," it added. India and France decided to hold regular strategic dialogue during Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Paris in September 1998. |
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