France in Republic Day greetings backs India against terror

October 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Expressing solidarity with India after the attack on its embassy in Kabul Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying France will work with India to halt the barbarism of the Taliban. "I would like to express my full support and deep solidarity to you in these painful circumstances, Sarkozy wrote to Manmohan Singh on the day a powerful suicide bomb blast targeted the Indian embassy in Kabul, killing 17 Afghans and injuring over 80.

September 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - France wants punishment for Mumbai terrorists and is monitoring foreign aid given to Pakistan to ensure it is not misused against India, a group of visiting French parliamentarians said Thursday. They also rooted for a permanent seat for India in the UN Security Council.

July 30th, 2009 Air France Airbus hits building in BrazzavilleBRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo — An Air France Airbus 330 carrying 168 passengers hit a building after landing in Congo's capital, but no one was hurt, an aviation official said Thursday. Emile Ouosso, minister of transportation and civil aviation, said the Airbus 330 landed at Brazzaville's Maya-Maya airport on Wednesday night and that one of its wings then hit a building.

July 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A top French official has praised India for the successful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections saying it was a "fresh and dazzling demonstration of the vitality of the Indian democracy". President of the Constitutional Council of France Jean-Louis Debr congratulated India's Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla for the smooth conduct of the month-long elections that were held in five phases beginning April.

July 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The bilateral cooperation between India and France which, already heightened with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attending the French National Day celebrations in Paris this week, will scale new heights this December when France unveils a 10-city mega festival - Bonjour India: Celebrating France in India. The festival was announced on the French National Day in Paris, a statement issued by the French Embassy in the capital said Thursday.

July 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday said India would like to build its partnership with France in nuclear energy, defence and other areas. Before leaving for France and Egypt on a four-day visit, Dr.

July 11th, 2009 ON BOARD AIR INDIA ONE - India wants Pakistan to punish those behind the Mumbai terror attack and is looking for a reaffirmation of this when he meets with his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Egypt next week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said. "I am looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Gilani (in Egypt).

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris early next week, Pakistan's alleged misuse of international aid as well as other issues will be on the table when the two leaders meet for a working lunch. "The situation in Pakistan will figure in the discussions, diplomatic sources said here.

July 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - France Thursday endorsed India's call for reform of the United Nations and backed India for a permanent seat in the Security Council. "If we want the Security Council to remain a legitimate place for handling peace and security crises in the world, it is absolutely necessary to have India as well as a couple of others as permanent members, French envoy to India Jerome Bonnafont said here.

April 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Wednesday that Pakistan was keen to hold talks with India on countering terrorism and widening their anti-terror mechanism. 'We are ready to talk as to how it (the mechanism) can be made more effective and as to how we can solidify mutual trust on this issue,' he told OneWorld TV channel.

March 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said Wednesday he backs the expansion of NATO to European countries aspiring to join the alliance but also pledged to work towards re-invigorating US-Russian relations. Obama, meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer just a week before the alliance summit in Germany and France, also said he will present his administration's strategic review of the mission in Afghanistan to other members.

January 27th, 2009 RANCHI - When different Maoist groups in Jharkhand boycotted the Republic Day celebrations and hoisted black flags, a smaller Maoist group saluted the tricolour and paid tribute to policemen killed in the Mumbai terror attack. Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), a Maoist group active in five districts of Jharkhand has issued photographs and a statement saying that they paid tributes to the policemen killed in the Mumbai terror attack and hoisted the tricolour and also sang the national anthem.

January 25th, 2009 MUMBAI - A Mumbai youth embarked on a bicycle journey to Delhi while another climbed a 45-storey tower here to mark India's 60th Republic Day and pay homage to those killed in the terror attack on the nation's financial capital two months ago. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan flaged off Vinod Poonamiya's bicycle tour from near the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, one of the sites of the Nov 26 terror attacks.

January 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reiterated his government's commitment to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues with India to usher in an era of peace and prosperity on the subcontinent. In a message to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Republic Day, Gilani said: 'It is a matter of pleasure for me to convey, on my own behalf and on behalf of the government of Pakistan, our warm felicitation to you and to the government and people of India on the occasion of the Republic Day of India.' This is the second time Gilani has communicated with Manmohan Singh in a week.

January 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - France-based Areva will deliver 300 tonnes of uranium to India, the first consignment of foreign nuclear fuel to reach the country in nearly 34 years, a top French government official said here Saturday. 'This is a very important symbolic gesture and we are happy that France will be the first country to give fuel to India in 34 years,' said Jean-David Levitte, diplomatic adviser to the French president.