1993 - Mr Major’s Comments on Terrorism

Below is the text of Mr Major’s comments on terrorism, held during an interview in New Delhi on Monday 25th January 1993.

QUESTION:

[The Prime Minister was asked about the bomb threat].

PRIME MINISTER:

I have no means of knowing whether it is or not and I am not especially concerned about that. What I was seeking to do was to draw attention to the fact that governments around the world do need to cooperate generally against terrorism. It is an international problem, it will require international cooperation. That is the point I was seeking to make.

QUESTION:

[Mr Major was asked if the extradition treaty would be passed in the House of Commons].

PRIME MINISTER:

Yes, I believe so. There may be some opposition - I am not sure how much there will be - but I am quite confident there will be a clear majority for it in the House of Commons.

QUESTION:

[Mr Major was asked if India was stable enough for Britain to invest in].

PRIME MINISTER:

Yes, I am, but far better than my view about that is the view of the businessmen who have come with me. Here you have a collection of some of the leading businessmen in the United Kingdom; they are confident not only to come but to contemplate large-scale investment over many years, so quite apart from my confidence their practical investment where they are prepared to put their money, their future and their companies in India, is an indication of the way things have changed and the prospects that people see for India in the future.

QUESTION:

[Mr Major was asked if he thought Indian democracy would last].

PRIME MINISTER:

What I am utterly confident about is the commitment of the government to what they would call - and I agree - secular democracy. That has been a tradition in India. Britain is the oldest democracy in the world, India is the biggest democracy in the world and I don’t have a shred of doubt that the Indian government are committed to that.