New Delhi: India today offered Bangladesh expertise in civil nuclear sector and outer space during a meeting between their Foreign Ministers but the meet could not make any major headway on emotive issues of Land Boundary Agreement, Teesta water sharing and extradition of ULFA leader Anup Chetia.
During the third Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting, jointly chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, the two sides also agreed on various proposals to increase and enhance connectivity between the two countries including a trial run of Dhaka-Shillong Bus Service by 2014. After the meeting, the two sides inked the MoU on Nalanda University.
Reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the ministers talked about strategic areas of trade and investment, security, connectivity, border management, water, power, shipping, renewable energy and development cooperation among others.
Briefing the reports on the JCC meeting, MEA Spokesperson Syed Akabaruddin said India has offered expertise in the civil nuclear sector as well as in outer space and will now await for specific assistance proposal from the Bangladeshi side.
Asked if the issues of LBA and Teesta water sharing were discussed, he said, water was a “sensitive” issue that needs to be addressed in a manner which was fair, equitable, and none of the party was negatively impacted. The government, which was in the process of evolving a internal consensus on Teesta issue, was committed to give it “due attention”.
On LBA, he said, the matter has been referred to the new members of the Parliament's Standing Committee and due process will be followed.
On India's long-pending demand for the extradition of ULFA leader Anup Chetia, he said the issue was discussed but refused to give any further details.
The status of implementation of projects under the USD 800 million concessional Line of Credit extended by India to Bangladesh was reviewed and it was noted that projects worth USD 751.95 million were being processed and are at various stages of implementation.
The Bangladesh side appreciated the contribution of the Line of Credit to infrastructure development in Bangladesh and asked for favourable consideration of their request for a second Line of Credit, a joint statement after the JCC said.
Recognising the need for facilitating greater people-to-people contact, both ministers agreed to increase diplomatic representations in each other's countries. They also welcomed the new arrangement of holding meetings of DCs/DMs of clusters of bordering districts which would be held alternately in India and Bangladesh and would begin from October.
They also agreed to work together to hold a conference of all DCs/DMs of bordering districts of both countries in early 2015 in India.
India reiterated its earlier commitment that it would not take any unilateral decision on the Himalayan component of the proposed river interlinking project which may adversely affect Bangladesh as both sides resolved to hold the 38th Meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission in Dhaka at a mutually convenient date.
The two sides also agreed upon the expeditious holding of the 3rd meeting of the Sub group of JRC on Tipaimukh hydro-electric project and further exchange of data of ongoing study.
Welcomed progress in discussions between the two countries on commencement of coastal shipping operations, they agreed that trial runs would be held in October 2014. They also agreed to expeditiously conclude a bilateral Coastal Shipping Agreement and agreed that the next round of Shipping Secretary level talks will take place in Dhaka in October 2014, the statement said.
Both ministers emphasised the need for improving connectivity between the two countries and in this regard appreciated the addition of AC coaches to Indian Railways rake of Maitree Express from September 23, 2014 and increase the frequency of services from two round trips in a week to three round trips in a week within two months.
The ministers urged the authorities concerned of both countries to devise a system of easy fulfilment of customs and immigration requirements of passengers travelling by Maitree Express.
