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President thanks Sweden for backing Indian claim for UNSC membership
Stockholm, June 2
President Pranab Mukherjee
on Tuesday thanked Sweden for backing India's claim for permanent
membership of the UN Security Council, an official statement said.
Speaking
at the state banquet hosted by King Carl XVI Gustaf, the president
said: "Our countries have similar views on many issues of regional and
global concern. We have been co-operating closely in the United Nations
and other multilateral fora - where India appreciates the support that
we have received and continue to receive from Sweden.
"We are
grateful for your endorsement of India's rightful claim to permanent
membership of the United Nations Security Council and for your
pro-active efforts that helped India achieve observer status in the
Arctic Council during the period of Sweden's chairmanship."
This is the first time an Indian president is visiting Sweden.
Mukherjee said India attaches "great importance" to its long standing friendship with Sweden.
"Though
our two nations are geographically distant from each other, we are
bound by our common commitment to democratic values and practice," he
said.
"I am confident that the bilateral agreements that we have
signed during my visit will lead to further fruitful engagement in the
many fields where India and Sweden have obvious complementarities," he
added.