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Iceland supports India's candidature
for permanent UN Security Council seat

Iceland has supported India's candidature for the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council saying it was obvious that India should have a place in an expanded Security Council.

The assurance was given by visiting Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson during his meeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday.

Briefing reporters on the ongoing visit of the Iceland President an External Affairs Ministry spokesman Tuesday said the two countries also agreed to evolve a mechanism for regular Foreign Office consultations and work together for UN Security Council reforms.

The spokesman said Iceland also offered its cooperation in the area of ocean resources. The Iceland delegation also had an interaction with the leaders of Confederation of Indian Industry and evinced interest in information technology and fisheries. A memorandum of understanding was also signed with the CII.

Grimsson also invited President K R Narayanan to visit Iceland. A similar invitation was also extended to External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh.

Grimsson also identified film making, music, design, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals as other key sectors for forging partnerships between the two countries.

''The size of a country was no longer a determinant for cooperation and knowledge was today thriving individual initiative for industrial growth and cooperation with other countries,'' he said.

He also called for increasing the level of bilateral trade, through enhanced people-to-people contact.

Halldor Asgrimsson, the Icelandic minister for foreign affairs said fishing industry-technology had been very successfully deployed to achieve high, sustainable levels of yields in fishing. Iceland had rich experience in ''harvesting the sea'' through technology and innovation which had led to spinoffs in related areas.

The country had leading manufacturers of high-tech processing equipment in the food industry and in fishing net technology. He offered his country's knowledge and expertise in this areas to the Indian fishing industry.

UNI

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