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Teesta, extradition pact high on agenda of India-Bangladesh talks
Friday May 04, 2012 10:17:43 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: India and
Bangladesh are set to hold the maiden meeting of their
newly-minted joint commission Monday that will seek to accelerate
bilateral ties across the spectrum. They are also likely to sign
an extradition treaty and discuss an early signing of the Teesta
water-sharing pact.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni begins her three-day visit
to India Sunday from Kolkata where she is expected to meet West
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In her talks in Kolkata and New Delhi, Moni will be taking up the
issue of the Teesta water-sharing treaty which was expected to be
signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in
September last year, but was blocked due to reservations expressed
by Banerjee.
If Banerjee, whose party is part of the ruling UPA coalition,
gives the go-ahead, it could lead to a quicker signing of the
treaty. The delay in signing the Teesta pact has bred much
resentment in Bangladesh. Moni will also meet Manmohan Singh,
likely Tuesday, before returning to Dhaka.
Moni recently said she was hopeful that the Teesta pact will be
inked soon and will discuss the issue with Krishna.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Moni Monday will
co-chair the first meeting of the joint consultative commission,
which was announced by the two sides during Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September last year.
India is hoping to sign a long-overdue extradition treaty, which
will enable it to prosecute insurgent leaders from its
northeastern states like Anup Chetia, general secretary of the
banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).
Announcing the visit Friday, the external affairs ministry said
that the committee will "jointly coordinate and oversee
implementation of initiatives as well as to explore newer avenues
for cooperation including progress of activities under the
Framework Agreement which was signed during Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September last year."
The two sides will also look at ways to ramp up trade and
investment between them.
Moni will be the Guest of Honour at the closing ceremony of the
year-long joint celebrations of the 150th birth Anniversary of
Rabindranath Tagore to be held at Vigyan Bhavan Monday. Vice
President Hamid Ansari would be the chief guest on the occasion.
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