Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Dr S Jaishankar Monday discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including Teesta River and land boundary disputes, with Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and his counterpart M Shahidul Haque.
"We had a very constructive and successful discussion. And we want more cooperation," said the Indian Foreign Secretary while talking to journalist after his meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at the office the latter on Monday.
Earlier, the Indian Foreign Secretary also had a meeting with Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at the ministry of foreign affairs where they discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues, including Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) affairs.
"We discussed all issues, but could not focus more on a particular issue as it is not possible during such a short visit," said Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque when asked which issues got the top priority in their discussions.
He, however, said that all issues including Teesta, land boundary, trade barriers and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh were among the issues discussed.
The Bangladesh side, Haque said, expressed its concern over the Teesta issue and Indian side took it positively. Bangladesh has long been pushing for signing the Teesta water sharing deal so that its rightful share of water is guaranteed. "The Indian side seems to be positive," said the secretary adding that they want to resolve the issues immediately.
"India attaches top priority to its close-door neighbours," said Haque quoting the Indian foreign secretary as saying in the meeting.
Shankar has expressed India's sincerity regarding Teesta issue, he said, adding Bangladesh and India are hopeful about early implementation of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA).
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also had assured Dhaka of her support for the Teesta deal during her visit to Dhaka on February 19-21.
Bangladesh foreign secretary also said that India has assured to take measures to remove various trade barriers so that Bangladeshi items can be exported to India without any hindrance.
"We have handed over a list of various tariff and non-tariff barriers, which are hindering the trade between the two countries, to the Indian secretary for necessary measures," said Haque.
Diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi also said that Indian Foreign Secretary's visit might initiate discussion with the government high-ups on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka.
Shankar visited Dhaka as part of his visit to four Saarc countries with Bhutan being the first stop.
Shankar, who took over on January 29, will leave Dhaka for Islamabad today (Tuesday) and Kabul the following day. Foreign Secretary Haque welcomed his Indian counterpart at the airport upon his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:35am. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran was also present at the airport.
Indian Foreign Secretary is seeking to revive and reinforce New Delhi's neighborhood diplomacy, ministry sources said. "The key message is to have a deeper friendship (with India). We want cooperation, they also want cooperation on overall issues," Foreign Secretary Haque told reporters at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry after his meeting with visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Dr S Jaishankar.
The Indian Foreign secretary's discussion in Dhaka also focused on sub-regional level cooperation involving Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN). The issue of a sub-regional connectivity project with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan for easier transit of passenger, personal and cargo vehicles among the four Saarc nations was also discussed in the meeting.
The scope for power trade and inter-grid connectivity between the four countries as well as potential for closer cooperation in future power projects was also discussed. They also discussed the issue of harnessing water resources including hydropower and power from other sources available in the sub-region.
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