From rxpgnews.com
EU-India to have science icons event next month
By IANS,
Jan 31, 2007 - 6:38:28 PM
New Delhi, Jan 31 - President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam will address Nobel laureates from Europe, scientists and 500 handpicked doctoral students here Feb 8 in what is being termed the first EU-India science icons event.
This will be preceded by the first-ever EU-India ministerial meeting on science co-chaired by the German Education Minister Annette Schavan, the European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potocnik and Indian Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.
'The objective of the EU-India science icons event will help discuss ways to further strengthen the scope and quality of scientific cooperation and build for Indian participation in EU's research framework programme,' said German ambassador Bernd Mutzelberg here Thursday.
'India was always a moral superpower as evidenced by the recent seminar on Mahatma Gandhi. It is now becoming an economic powerhouse and it will not be long before it becomes a knowledge superpower,' he said.
Detailing the crowded calendar of events after Germany assumed the presidency of the European Union from Finland on Jan 1, Mutzelberg pointed out that the numerous engagements would give 'flesh and blood' to the joint action plan launched at the sixth EU-India summit meeting in Sep 2005.
'The numerous opportunities will help strengthen the political relationship as well as try and shape globalization,' said Fransisco Da Camara Gomes, ambassador of the European Commission, who was also present.
After the ministerial conference on science, the first Asia-Europe Meeting - foreign ministers is scheduled in Hamburg which will see the participation of new partners - India, Pakistan and Mongolia. Bulgaria and Romania will be the new members from the EU side.
This will be immediately followed by a EU-India foreign ministers' meeting at the troika level in Berlin on May 31.
In addition, workshops and seminars have been planned on minorities, human rights, migration and consular issues have been spread out over the next six months.
'Also, the EU will be invited to the next SAARC summit in April in an observer capacity,' said Mutzelberg.
Outlining the agenda for the German G8 presidency for the year, Mutzelberg said the focus will be on efforts to shape a globalising world economy and support development in Africa especially in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
India will be invited to the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany in June in the framework of the G-8 outreach group.
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