January 24, 2003	Friday	Ziqa’ad 20, 1423

PARIS, Jan 23: Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani began a two-day visit to Paris Thursday to meet senior French ministers and talk about a major arms purchase.

Advani, who also holds the portfolio of interior minister, met French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and was scheduled to talk with Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. On Friday, he was to see Justice Minister Dominique Perben.

Discussions with Alliot-Marie revolved around a two-billion-dollar defence deal which would see six French-designed Scorpene submarines built in Mumbai if New Delhi gives the green light next month, and another possible purchase of 136 Mirage-2000 warplanes for the Indian air force.

Advani’s meeting with Perben was to sign a bilateral extradition treaty presented as an important tool in fighting global terrorism.

The Indian deputy prime minister’s visit preceded a planned state visit by Raffarin to India on Feb 6-7 to launch a two-month series of economic and cultural events to promote bilateral ties.

Indian government sources said this week that Advani was also likely to request during his visit that Paris not supply Islamabad with arms.

Government sources pointed out that the Indian government had previously conveyed its concern to the French government about its military hardware sales to Pakistan.—AFP