British High Commissioner in Delhi to meet Chief Minister Modi
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- Current News
- Thursday, 11 October 2012 17:19
- Published on Thursday, 11 October 2012 17:19
- Hits: 377
Gujarat Global News Network, New Delhi
The decade long break in ties between the British government and Gujarat government is about to end soon. Hugo Swire, Minister of State of the Foreign Office of the British government has asked the British High Commissioner in New Delhi to visit Gujarat and to meet the Chief Minister and other senior figures in the state.
After the 2002 riots, the British government had cut off all the ties with the Gujarat government. Even Modi has not visited UK since 2003. But now the release by Mr. Swire states that the move would allow the UK to “discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest and to explore opportunities for closer cooperation, in line with the British Government’s stated objective of improving bilateral relations with India.”
But the shadow of the 2002 riots was still visible in the statement issued by Swire. “We want to secure justice for the families of the British nationals who were killed in 2002. We want to support human rights and good governance in the state. We also want to provide the best possible support for British nationals who live in, work in or visit Gujarat; and to the many Gujaratis who now make up one of the most successful and dynamic communities in the UK,” it said.
Modi’s official site said that the UK move was recognition of “the progress Gujarat has made in the past 11 years under the leadership of Shri Modi”. It also noted that the “Chief Minister is already extremely popular among the British-Gujarati Diaspora.”
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