Krishna Meets Media Editors
Delhi wants more ties with Dhaka
Bangladesh-India relation is now at a “momentous juncture” and “we are looking forward to a meaningful visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh, said Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna yesterday.
Krishna, who arrived in Dhaka yesterday afternoon, was having an interaction with the editors of leading newspapers and electronic media at hotel Sonargaon in the evening.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Rajeet Mitter was present at the interaction.
When an editor pointed out that Singh's controversial remarks reflected the "mindset" of a section of the Indian establishment which fed him with wrong information, Krishna said, "I had a meeting with the prime minister three days ago and the PM has conveyed in unequivocal terms of his affection for the people and the leadership of Bangladesh."
"There is no reservation on the part of India and its people about relations with Bangladesh. There is no factor, which limits our relationship. Sky is the limit of our relations with Bangladesh", he added.
When another editor pointed out a sense of frustration over the implementation of 51 decisions contained in the Joint Communiqué, adopted during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Delhi January last year, he admitted “certain delays” and said the gestation period in a democratic set up was longer but the two countries were well set to implement the projects.
In this context, Rajeet Mitter said a lot of work has been done in bilateral cooperation in the power sector and a long-term power purchase agreement between the two countries is in the final stage.
When an editor referred to the killings along the border, Krishna said maximum restraint has been ensured and as a result, number of such killing has come down drastically. "We will have to deal with the border situation in a humanitarian manner," he said adding that there should be strong coordination to check such incident.
"There is no justification in the killing of innocent people. But at the same time, border management is the responsibility of both the governments and border rules have to be adhered to," the external affairs minister said.
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