Bangladesh-India Home Secy-level talks end without any breakthrough
Saturday, 4 August 2007
NEW DELHI, Aug 3 (UNB): Bangladesh and India concluded the Home Secretary-level meeting here Friday discussing outstanding issues like demarcation of 6.5 kms border, exchange of enclaves, killing of innocent civilians, drugs smuggling and trafficking in person and security and insurgency but without any breakthrough in resolving the problems.
During the meeting on August 2-3, both sides approached all issues on the basis of mutual understanding and appreciation of each other's position and sensitivities.
Both sides renewed their commitment to ensure that co-operation between the two countries is further widened, and to address issues of concern in a spirit of mutual understanding, according to a joint press statement issued at the end of the talks.
Bangladesh Home Secretary Abdul Karim and India Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta led their respective sides to the eighth meeting.
On land boundary issue, both sides expressed satisfaction at the joint visit to a few enclaves and territories under adverse possession on May 29-30 last and agreed to hold the next meeting of the joint boundary working groups at an early date.
About the issue of border firing and death of unarmed civilians along the border, both sides expressed satisfaction at the improved situation along the border in recent months and agreed to take appropriate steps to further improve the situation. On the issue of river bank protection works, they recognised the humanitarian dimensions of this and some other rivers related issues and agreed to address them at the forthcoming meeting of the two water resources
Secretaries scheduled to take place in Delhi on August 7-8. The joint statement said both sides strongly condemned terrorism and extremism and underlined the need to strengthen the existing bilateral arrangements by instituting new institutional mechanisms for enhanced cooperation in exchanging information to combat this menace.
They agreed to revive the mechanism of the Joint Working Group (JWG) at the level of Joint Secretaries in the Ministries of Home Affairs and decided that the meetings could be held at regular intervals alternately in India and Bangladesh.
About the proposed Extradition Treaty, the Bangladesh side agreed to expedite their inter-ministerial consultations on the drafts of the treaty, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters and the Bilateral Agreement on combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal drug trafficking already with them.
The Indian side requested for finalisation of the draft before the forthcoming SAARC Home Ministers Conference in October this year. The statement said both sides agreed to initiate swift action on information received about groups and elements and other fugitives from the law enforcers of either country taking shelter in the other country.
India assured all possible assistance, within the law of the land, to the request made by Bangladesh in tracing criminals wanted for criminal activities in that country and are reportedly taking shelter in Indian territory.
Both sides also agreed to step up the riverine patrolling. The Indian side expressed its willingness to supply riverine patrolling vessels to Bangladesh in case such request is made. Both sides expressed the need for initiating cooperation in the field of capacity building of police forces.
During the meeting on August 2-3, both sides approached all issues on the basis of mutual understanding and appreciation of each other's position and sensitivities.
Both sides renewed their commitment to ensure that co-operation between the two countries is further widened, and to address issues of concern in a spirit of mutual understanding, according to a joint press statement issued at the end of the talks.
Bangladesh Home Secretary Abdul Karim and India Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta led their respective sides to the eighth meeting.
On land boundary issue, both sides expressed satisfaction at the joint visit to a few enclaves and territories under adverse possession on May 29-30 last and agreed to hold the next meeting of the joint boundary working groups at an early date.
About the issue of border firing and death of unarmed civilians along the border, both sides expressed satisfaction at the improved situation along the border in recent months and agreed to take appropriate steps to further improve the situation. On the issue of river bank protection works, they recognised the humanitarian dimensions of this and some other rivers related issues and agreed to address them at the forthcoming meeting of the two water resources
Secretaries scheduled to take place in Delhi on August 7-8. The joint statement said both sides strongly condemned terrorism and extremism and underlined the need to strengthen the existing bilateral arrangements by instituting new institutional mechanisms for enhanced cooperation in exchanging information to combat this menace.
They agreed to revive the mechanism of the Joint Working Group (JWG) at the level of Joint Secretaries in the Ministries of Home Affairs and decided that the meetings could be held at regular intervals alternately in India and Bangladesh.
About the proposed Extradition Treaty, the Bangladesh side agreed to expedite their inter-ministerial consultations on the drafts of the treaty, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters and the Bilateral Agreement on combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal drug trafficking already with them.
The Indian side requested for finalisation of the draft before the forthcoming SAARC Home Ministers Conference in October this year. The statement said both sides agreed to initiate swift action on information received about groups and elements and other fugitives from the law enforcers of either country taking shelter in the other country.
India assured all possible assistance, within the law of the land, to the request made by Bangladesh in tracing criminals wanted for criminal activities in that country and are reportedly taking shelter in Indian territory.
Both sides also agreed to step up the riverine patrolling. The Indian side expressed its willingness to supply riverine patrolling vessels to Bangladesh in case such request is made. Both sides expressed the need for initiating cooperation in the field of capacity building of police forces.