UK willing to cooperate in social sectors: President

The UK has expressed its keenness to cooperate with India in the social sectors particularly in the context of the Millennium Development Goals, president Pratibha Patil said today.

"UK's willingness to cooperate with India in the social sectors, particularly in the context of the Millennium Development Goals, was conveyed to me by prime minister Gordon Brown.

"He also expressed a keen interest in the ongoing cooperation between India and UK in the education sector, and the importance they attach to this component of our relationship," Patil said onboard her special aircraft while returning from a week-long state visit to UK and Cyprus.

She said the issue of easier movement of Indians to the UK, especially of IT professionals, was also discussed, besides strong trade and investment links between the two countries also figured prominently in the talks.

"At the UK-India Business Council Meeting, the business communities of both countries expressed optimism about future prospects," she said.

"My delegation and I were received with great warmth at the welcome ceremony at Windsor, which was impressive not only because of its grand pageantry but also for the enthusiasm shown by the hundreds of people who greeted the entourage as it moved to the Castle," she said. "Describing education as one of the most important pillars of the new partnership, Her Majesty referred to the more than 30,000 students studying in universities in the UK and also mentioned the recent arrival in Cambridge University of the first group of scholars under the Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarships," the president said.

Patil said she attached a very special significance to the function held at India House, where memorabilia associated with Mahatma Gandhi was handed over to her.

"We are carrying these precious items back to India. I also saw, at the Royal collection at Windsor, a small shawl spun by Gandhiji and gifted in 1947 to Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for their wedding," she said.

The president said her visit to the UK was a reiteration of both countries towards strong commitment to the strategic partnership and desire to further consolidate this important relationship.

"I am satisfied with what was achieved during the visit and am also confident that it will give a further impetus to the rapidly developing Indo-UK ties," she told reporters.

In the second leg of her tour, the president visited Cyprus which she described as a "close friend".

"This feeling comes across very tellingly when one enters the precincts of the Parliament building of the country which is located on Jawaharlal Nehru Avenue and has the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the entrance," she said.

"We discussed potential areas for enhancing economic co-operation, including IT, tourism, financial services, agro-food processing, hydrocarbons, which need focus, to convert the existing goodwill into projects and programmes with concrete results," Patil said on her discussions with her counterpart Demetris Christofias.

The president said Cyprus has extended "strong and unwavering support" on matters of significance to India including support for India's permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council.

"He (Cypriot president) indicated that India could count on Cyprus as a reliable friend of India in the EU...we discussed avenues for cooperation between our respective parliaments...I also had a good meeting with Archbishop Chrisostomos II on our shared values and experiences that have enriched our respective multi-cultural societies," she said.