 JCP leaders talk with Indian parliamentarian delegation Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo met with the visiting Indian parliamentarian delegation led by Somnath Chatterjee, the speaker of the Lower House, at a Tokyo hotel on November 2. Chatterjee is a central committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a long-time CPIM parliamentarians' group leader. This was their second meeting following the one in December 2002, when Shii led a JCP delegation visiting India and other South Asian countries. Chatterjee said that India's parliament adopted a unanimous resolution in opposition to the Iraq War, and stressed the need to restore democracy in Iraq based on the Iraqi people's will. He also said that India wants to work to establish peace and development in Asia, including Japan and China. Shii said, "We are pleased to see India improve relations with Pakistan through summit talks and join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), thus contributing to bring bringing peace to Asia." Shii and Chatterjee expressed their common desire that economic relations be further developed between Japan and India for their mutual benefit on an equal basis. Later in the evening, JCP Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo and Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo attended a reception given by the Indian Ambassador to Japan Mani Tripathi at the ambassador's official residence in honor of the delegation. Fuwa and Shii had conversations with Chatterjee on changing Indian politics and society and with Indian parliamentarians representing various political parties. (end) |