New Delhi, Apr. 6 (ANI): President Pranab Mukherjee has said New Delhi is grateful for Iceland's principled and consistent support of India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UNSC.
President Mukherjee appreciated the contribution of his Iceland counterpart Dr. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Friday, in strengthening the quality and substance of ties between two countries.
President Mukherjee said India has significant scientific capabilities and programmes focused on Polar scientific research.
"It has an abiding interest in the ongoing scientific research in the Arctic region and is willing to further contribute to the same," he added.
Describing Dr. Grimsson a friend of India, President Mukherjee said his visit in 2010 gave new momentum to bilateral relations. During that visit, India had the honour of conferring upon Dr. Grimsson the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for 2007. His decision to utilise the prize money for sponsoring Indian students to study glaciology is deeply appreciated.
President Mukherjee said India and Iceland have, despite being separated by oceans, built a friendship based on shared values and mutuality of interests.
"Both countries have supported each other in international for a," he added.
Asserting that India and Iceland have much in common, President Mukherjee said: "Iceland, as the world's oldest functioning democracy, and India, as the world's largest democracy, deeply cherish the values of democracy, human rights and personal freedoms and hold similar views on a wide variety of regional and international issues."
"Regular high level visits have kept up the momentum in bilateral co-operation. Opening of resident missions in each other's capitals has been a good step forward," he added. (ANI)
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