Bilateral ties discussed
Sunday, 9 December 2007
NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (UNB): Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury paid a courtesy call on Indian Vice President Dr Hamid Ansari at his residence here today (Saturday).
The adviser thanked the vice president for India's offer of relief and expression of solidarity with Bangladesh in the aftermath of cyclone Sidr.
About bilateral relations, Iftekhar told the Indian vice president that Dhaka-Delhi relations were "excellent" and that he had several meetings with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.
He said Bangladesh-India cooperation has reached "new heights".
The adviser explained various measures of institution building that the caretaker government of Bangladesh was undertaking.
The Indian vice president said he "deeply appreciated" the foreign adviser's call and was pleased at the level of "friendship and cooperation".
He stated that the "Indians will always stand solidly by their Bangladeshi brothers and sisters."
Bangladesh High Commissioner in India Liaquat Ali Choudhury and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty were present during the meeting.
Earlier, the adviser held a joint meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with other SAARC ministers who were in New Delhi to attend the SAARC Council of Ministers' Meeting.
Iftekhar conveyed to the Indian Prime Minister greetings from Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and "thanks for the offer of 500,000 tonnes of rice and the reconstruction of 10 coastal villages", which, he said, "fitted into the Bangladesh plans of massive coastal development as announced by the Chief Adviser".
The Indian Prime Minister deeply appreciated the cooperation Bangladesh has been extending to India in international fora as well, which he observed, "contributed to the current excellent bilateral relations".
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was also present on the occasion.
The adviser thanked the vice president for India's offer of relief and expression of solidarity with Bangladesh in the aftermath of cyclone Sidr.
About bilateral relations, Iftekhar told the Indian vice president that Dhaka-Delhi relations were "excellent" and that he had several meetings with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.
He said Bangladesh-India cooperation has reached "new heights".
The adviser explained various measures of institution building that the caretaker government of Bangladesh was undertaking.
The Indian vice president said he "deeply appreciated" the foreign adviser's call and was pleased at the level of "friendship and cooperation".
He stated that the "Indians will always stand solidly by their Bangladeshi brothers and sisters."
Bangladesh High Commissioner in India Liaquat Ali Choudhury and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty were present during the meeting.
Earlier, the adviser held a joint meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with other SAARC ministers who were in New Delhi to attend the SAARC Council of Ministers' Meeting.
Iftekhar conveyed to the Indian Prime Minister greetings from Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and "thanks for the offer of 500,000 tonnes of rice and the reconstruction of 10 coastal villages", which, he said, "fitted into the Bangladesh plans of massive coastal development as announced by the Chief Adviser".
The Indian Prime Minister deeply appreciated the cooperation Bangladesh has been extending to India in international fora as well, which he observed, "contributed to the current excellent bilateral relations".
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was also present on the occasion.