No decision on transit at this point of time: Touhid
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
No decision on India's proposal for transit will be taken at the foreign secretary-level talks beginning in New Delhi tomorrow (Thursday), said Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain who flies to the Indian capital today (Wednesday) for the meet.
"Nothing to be worried, no decision will be taken at this point of time," he told reporters Tuesday afternoon, reports UNB.
Quoting the foreign adviser's statement made to dispel speculations over the transit issue, Touhid reaffirmed that nothing would be done against country interest.
Earlier, Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakarbarty had told reporters that the transit issue would be raised at the Foreign Secretary-level meeting in Delhi as India is interested in it.
Touhid said usually such decision is not taken at this level. Besides, he said, "It will take time. It needs scrutiny."
He observed that many newspaper reports about the transit were speculative and devoid of facts.
The foreign secretary said the Bangladesh side asks for reducing the huge trade deficit with the bigger economic neighbour that currently stands at more than $1.90 billion.
He said Bangladesh would urge India to take unilateral measures that include removal of non-tariff barriers to Bangladeshi exports, duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to Indian market and mutual recognition of standard.
In reply to a question, Touhid said the trade gap could be reduced by way of reducing negative list of products and removal of non-tariff barriers on India's part.
He said Bangladesh would flag the issues of implementing the Land Boundary Agreement, border demarcation of the remaining 6.5 kilometres, early convening of meeting of the Joint Boundary Working Group, unfettered access through Tin-bigha corridor, exchange of enclaves and adversely possessed territories, the killing of unarmed civilians by the Indian BSF, early convening of the 37th session of the Joint Rivers Commission.
"India is our friendly neighbour, and I believe any problem can be resolved through discussion," he said, adding, "We will try to find common ground on all the bilateral issues."
Touhid indicated that the Bangladesh-India home secretary-level talks might be held next month when the boundary issue would be discussed.
The foreign secretary said Dhaka would also propose to Delhi to open talks related to maritime boundary delimitation. Last talks on the subject were held between December 2 and December 5, 1980.
Since the last Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Dhaka, he said, the meetings of the Home Secretaries, Water Resources Secretaries, BDR-BSF DG-level talks and the Joint Working Group on Trade were held.
He will discuss possible follow-up measures on some of the outcomes of different functional-level meetings held in the last one year.
Mr Touhid said he would also seek timely delivery of the remaining contracted 0.50 million tons of non-basmati parboiled rice.
Some concrete proposals in connection with cooperation in agriculture based on the existing MoU between Bangladesh and India will also come up for discussion at the comprehensive talks.
Asked about frequency of the Dhaka-Kolkata train service, the foreign secretary said both sides agree to make this service more effective as it takes five hours for immigration clearance on the Indian side.
As a result, passengers do not feel interested in taking a cross-border train trip.
On more bus services between the two countries, Mr Touhid said a proposal on Dhaka-Shilong-Gowahati bus service could be discussed.
He said Dhaka would propose to Delhi to allow Nepalese transport to enter Bangladesh territory through Banglabandh corridor crossing over Indian territories in order to expedite trade between Bangladesh and the landlocked Himalayan country, Nepal.
"Nothing to be worried, no decision will be taken at this point of time," he told reporters Tuesday afternoon, reports UNB.
Quoting the foreign adviser's statement made to dispel speculations over the transit issue, Touhid reaffirmed that nothing would be done against country interest.
Earlier, Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakarbarty had told reporters that the transit issue would be raised at the Foreign Secretary-level meeting in Delhi as India is interested in it.
Touhid said usually such decision is not taken at this level. Besides, he said, "It will take time. It needs scrutiny."
He observed that many newspaper reports about the transit were speculative and devoid of facts.
The foreign secretary said the Bangladesh side asks for reducing the huge trade deficit with the bigger economic neighbour that currently stands at more than $1.90 billion.
He said Bangladesh would urge India to take unilateral measures that include removal of non-tariff barriers to Bangladeshi exports, duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to Indian market and mutual recognition of standard.
In reply to a question, Touhid said the trade gap could be reduced by way of reducing negative list of products and removal of non-tariff barriers on India's part.
He said Bangladesh would flag the issues of implementing the Land Boundary Agreement, border demarcation of the remaining 6.5 kilometres, early convening of meeting of the Joint Boundary Working Group, unfettered access through Tin-bigha corridor, exchange of enclaves and adversely possessed territories, the killing of unarmed civilians by the Indian BSF, early convening of the 37th session of the Joint Rivers Commission.
"India is our friendly neighbour, and I believe any problem can be resolved through discussion," he said, adding, "We will try to find common ground on all the bilateral issues."
Touhid indicated that the Bangladesh-India home secretary-level talks might be held next month when the boundary issue would be discussed.
The foreign secretary said Dhaka would also propose to Delhi to open talks related to maritime boundary delimitation. Last talks on the subject were held between December 2 and December 5, 1980.
Since the last Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Dhaka, he said, the meetings of the Home Secretaries, Water Resources Secretaries, BDR-BSF DG-level talks and the Joint Working Group on Trade were held.
He will discuss possible follow-up measures on some of the outcomes of different functional-level meetings held in the last one year.
Mr Touhid said he would also seek timely delivery of the remaining contracted 0.50 million tons of non-basmati parboiled rice.
Some concrete proposals in connection with cooperation in agriculture based on the existing MoU between Bangladesh and India will also come up for discussion at the comprehensive talks.
Asked about frequency of the Dhaka-Kolkata train service, the foreign secretary said both sides agree to make this service more effective as it takes five hours for immigration clearance on the Indian side.
As a result, passengers do not feel interested in taking a cross-border train trip.
On more bus services between the two countries, Mr Touhid said a proposal on Dhaka-Shilong-Gowahati bus service could be discussed.
He said Dhaka would propose to Delhi to allow Nepalese transport to enter Bangladesh territory through Banglabandh corridor crossing over Indian territories in order to expedite trade between Bangladesh and the landlocked Himalayan country, Nepal.