Kalam not averse to second term
Apr 24, 2007 - 8:28:05 PM
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In Greece, three important agreements, relating to bilateral investment promotion and protection, science and technology and the one between the foreign service institutes of the two countries will be signed.
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By Tarun Basu, IANS,
[RxPG] On Board Air India One, April 24 - President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Tuesday gave sufficient indication that he was not averse to a second term amid reports that support was growing among political parties wanting him to continue after his present term ends in June.
Asked pointedly by journalists travelling with him to Strasbourg and Greece whether he would be willing for a second term, Kalam chose to give an indirect reply, recalling how he was called to accept presidential candidature in 2002 while he was teaching a class on how technology will transform the nation.
'I got a phone call. Come to Delhi. Stand for presidential election.'
Pressed further, Kalam first said he would give the issue some thought and probably would be able to talk about it on his way back to Delhi Saturday.
Then he said: 'It does not matter if the president is a woman or a man... Nation is bigger than the individual.
'I want to finish that work -.'
Asked whether it meant that he would be willing to be president again, Kalam replied enigmatically: 'Yes, the process will continue wherever I am.'
Kalam is visiting Strasbourg, the seat of the European Parliament, followed by Greece.
Kalam will be the first Indian president to address the European Parliament. He will also address the International Space University in Strasbourg before heading to Greece for a four-day visit from Wednesday.
In Greece, three important agreements, relating to bilateral investment promotion and protection, science and technology and the one between the foreign service institutes of the two countries will be signed.
For Kalam, the five-day visit would be his fifth state visit abroad.
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