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This is an archive article published on May 22, 2007
Pranab to visit Libya in 1st foreign trip after accident
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has been keeping off foreign visits since his accident in April, will be travelling for a week starting Wednesday.
New Delhi | May 22, 2007 12:00 AM IST
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External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has been keeping off foreign visits since his accident in April, will be travelling for a week starting Wednesday. One of the most important aspects of the tour is his visit to Libya where an Indian Foreign Minister has not gone for over a decade.
The visit to Libya and a possible meeting with Muammar Gaddafi is in line with India8217;s effort to increase economic engagement, particularly in the context if growing energy requirements here. In fact, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora had visited Libya in January signalling New Delhi8217;s intent to bolster the economic relationship.
Mukherjee8217;s visit, however, will add political content to the relationship besides a reaching out exercise after Libya normalised its ties with the US.
Besides Libya, Mukherjee will be visiting Cyprus and then Germany for the meeting with the EU troika ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8217;s visit to Berlin for the G-8 Outreach Summit.
Coming within days of Mukherjee8217;s statement terming reports of him being Congress8217; Presidential candidate as 8220;speculative8221;, it is clear that the Minister is looking to convey the message that he is concentrating on the work at hand. There was also considerable speculation in South Block after he postponed his visit to Saudi Arabia twice and seemed to indicate that he would not like to undertake any visit until the presidential elections. However, this weeklong tour aims to dispel such notions, say insiders.
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