New Delhi, Sep 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Thursday said the government is keen to arrive at fair and equitable arrangements for sharing of common rivers with Bangladesh.
Making a Suo Moto statement in the Lok Sabha on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's recent visit to Dhaka, Krishna said: "We are keen to arrive at fair and equitable arrangements for sharing of our common rivers. We have experience of this before, as in the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996. We however recognize that water is a sensitive issue in both countries. The Government will work towards arriving at solutions that are acceptable to all concerned."
Krishna said both India and Bangladesh have agreed to promote trade, investment and economic cooperation and facilitate trade by rail, road, inland waterways, shipping and air.
"Several initiatives are under consideration for improvement of transportation links. A major programme is currently underway to develop border infrastructure through establishment of Land Customs Stations, Integrated Check Posts, Border Haats etc. The Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development contains new ideas for bilateral and sub-regional cooperation, which will institutionalize the rapidly growing ties between the two countries," said Krishna.
"During the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January 2010, the Government of India had announced a one billion dollar line of credit for Bangladesh. Projects worth US$ 750 million have been since identified and are under implementation. These are largely in the area of railways and transport infrastructure," he added.
The External Affairs Minister further said there is a large trade imbalance between India and Bangladesh in favour of India, which has increased over the years.
"The reduction of the trade imbalance has been a long standing request of Bangladesh. During his visit, the Prime Minister announced the removal of all 46 textile lines, as requested by Bangladesh, from India's negative list for LDCs under the provisions of SAFTA with immediate effect," said Krishna.
"The Prime Minister of Bangladesh conveyed appreciation for this major step on enhanced market access for that country. During the discussions, Prime Minister emphasized that greater Indian investments in Bangladesh would help to increase the export potential and earnings of that country," he added.
Krishna further informed that Dr. Singh addressed a gathering of academics, intellectuals, political leaders and others at the Dhaka University on the theme of 'India, Bangladesh and South Asia'.
"The Prime Minister emphasized that in taking forward our relations with Bangladesh, we wish to work with all sections of the people and all shades of public opinion to foster multi-faceted cooperation," said Krishna.
"We will encourage people to people contacts, greater cultural interactions and more exchanges among persons, youth and scholars. The two countries will remain engaged in the joint effort to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in an appropriate manner upto May 2012," he added.
Krishna said Both India and Bangladesh will continue to work closer to coordinate their positions on issues such as climate change, food security, development of peace and security.
"Cooperation on issues of regional and global concern within the framework of SAARC, BIMSTEC and other groupings would be taken forward," he said.
The External Affairs Minister stressed that a strong, stable and prosperous Bangladesh is in India's interest
"Our relations with Bangladesh are important to us for many reasons. Bangladesh is a country that is proud of its unique and rich cultural heritage. A strong, stable and prosperous Bangladesh is in our interest," said Krishna.
"It has embarked upon the path of multi-party democracy, based on the ideals of its liberation war, moderation, and tolerance. It is a respected member of the Islamic world. It has witnessed a healthy growth rate in the last few years," he added.
Krishna further said: "The Prime Minister's visit has enabled us to put across our vision of an equal and mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh to the widest cross-section of its people. It is essential for us to develop and nurture a comprehensive partnership with that country."
"We are committed to building a strong India-Bangladesh partnership, including assistance in developmental efforts and enhanced bilateral cooperation to our mutual benefit," he added. (ANI)
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