President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will leave for his first foreign tour to the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Bulgaria on Saturday. The week-long visit is punctuated by several programmes and the signing of a few agreements, including an extradition treaty with Bulgaria.A visit at the President’s level to the UAE is taking place after a gap of 26 years. This is significant in the backdrop of India’s growing ties with the Gulf nation where there are over a million Indian expatriates, an official said.Kalam will be received by Crown Prince Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayeed al Nahyan, son of UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan who is away in London for medical treatment. During his two-day stay in UAE starting tomorrow, the President will address the Dubai Chambers of Commerce, interact with the Indian community and address students at one of the Indian high schools there. In Sudan, he would address the Sudanese Parliament, interact with academics and meet Sudanese alumni of Indian universities. Three agreements would also be signed with Sudan.Among the three agreements to be signed in Bulgaria is an extradition treaty as well as an agreement on cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports.
