New Delhi, Oct 18: President A P J Abdul Kalam left here today on a week-long state visit to the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Bulgaria, his first foreign tour after assuming the high office. Kalam, who left by a special Air India Boeing 747-400 named 'Tanjore', was seen off at the airport by vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, I&B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal and envoys of the three countries.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not present at the airport as he was away in Panipat in Haryana to inaugurate a refinery expansion project.
Bureau Report