Visit Of The Indian Prime Minister

EDM number 796 in 1993-94, proposed by Roger Godsiff on 09/03/1994.

That this House welcomes the forthcoming visit of the Indian Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, on 13th March; applauds Britain's historically excellent relations with India which make it the second largest investor in that country; notes the participation of a wide range of leading British and Indian companies in joint ventures; congratulates those British exporters which have developed increased trading links with India; further welcomes Prime Minister Rao's determination to ensure the highest standards of respect for human rights and the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission; expresses the repeated and gravest concern that the continued reports of human rights violations, massacre and rape by occupation forces of the Indian army in Indian-held Kashmir have nonetheless escalated in recent months; calls on Her Majesty's Government to be equally vigorous in supporting United Nations resolutions of 1948, 1949 and 1960 which uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people to self-determination through a United Nations-supervised plebiscite, thereby fulfilling the explicit commitment made to the people of Kahmir by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India; and further calls on Her Majesty's Government to encourage a wider understanding of basic human rights by Government and business in all countries, particularly as it affects the people of Kashmir in their legitimate struggle for self-determination. (Relevant registered interest declared).

This motion has been signed by a total of 52 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.