Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari arrived here Sunday on a high-level visit to the Czech Republic during which the two sides will sign three agreements on economic cooperation, social security and bilateral investment promotion. During his 3-day visit, Ansari, the first top level Indian leader to visit the country in 14 years, will meet President Vaclav Klaus, Prime Minister Jan Fischer and President of the Senate Premysl Sobotka and address a meeting on global governance in the 21st century at the Prague Security Studies Institute. "We have old relations with both Czech Republic as well as Croatia. Both the countries have gone through various kind of political situation. The basic purpose of the visit is to revive old friendship, revive old ties," Ansari told accompanying journalists. He said both the countries were cooperating in areas like nuclear energy, trade and technology and Czech Republic was supporting India in its bid for a permanent membership in the UN Security Council. "We are a big country but we want to convey the message that we do care about the small countries. They also want engagement outside Europe and there comes India," he said. Ansari will leave for Croatia from here on June 9 on a two-day visit, the Press Trust of India reported. The three agreements which will be signed during his Czech Republic tour are: Agreement on Economic Cooperation, Social Security Agreements and A Protocol on Amending the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.
