Washington, June 13 - US President Bill Clinton has said India is a "model for other nations and peoples" seeking to build civil societies and institutionalize democratic values and shares with the United States a special responsibility for promoting peace."
In a message to participants gathered here to attend the annual conference of the Indian American Friendship Council, Mr Clinton said the interaction between the people of the US and India was "a process that has enriched us all and has fortified the foundations on which our democracies rest."
Mr Clinton's message, read out at the conference by Democratic Rep Gary Ackerman, noted that "in recent years, the bonds we share have developed an important new dimension, as economic reforms in India have generated unprecedented levels of bilateral trade and investment."
Mr Clinton said, "The United States seeks to further deepen these and other ties in ways that will advance the security and prosperity of our nations and help us to keep faith with the principles that guided the founders of our democracies."
The President recalled that over the course of the past 50 years, India has confronted many challenges, but has stayed true to its founding principles."
"In so doing," he said, "India has become a model for other nations and people around the globe who are still striving to build civil societies, to institutionalize democratic values of free expression and religion and to find strength in their diversity."
Mr Clinton declared that "as we mark the 50th anniversary of India's independence we recognize that our two nations also share a special responsibility for promoting peace."
He said the "next 50 years offer us a great opportunity to broaden and deepen out partnership and to work together for peace and progress not only for our own countries, but also for the world.
Meanwhile President Bill Clinton has been invited to India to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of Indian independence. the Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian has said.
The invitation has been made through Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering.
Subramanian in the invitation said that Clinton should visit India for the August 15 celebrations. If that date is not convenient, he should visit India later in the year. Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador Naresh Chandra is exploring the possibilities of NRIs in the US having a celebration.
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