India attaches importance to its relations with B'desh: Mathai

Ahead of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid's visit to Bangladesh, India today said it attaches the highest importance to its relations with its close and friendly neighbour and called for intensification of bilateral cooperation. "The unique cultural and historical linkages with similarities in developmental challenges call upon us to intensify our bilateral cooperation and work for the betterment and development of our two neighbouring countries," Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said. Mathai, who is here to prepare for the 2nd meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission at the level of the Foreign Ministers, met his Bangladeshi counterpart Md Shahidul Haque held discussions covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest. Khurshid will travel to Dhaka on February 16-17 to co-chair the India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission Meeting to and review bilateral ties. "India attaches the highest importance to its relations with Bangladesh, our close and friendly neighbour. Our regular and intensive engagement over the previous three years has led to significant progress in our bilateral cooperation encompassing a wide range of areas," Mathai said. "We have just concluded a very productive round of discussions in a very warm and cordial atmosphere covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest," he said. Mathai and Haque also signed an MOU on Cooperation between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Foreign Service Academy of Bangladesh. "I have no doubt that this would facilitate exchanges between the diplomatic services of our two countries. More importantly, it will enable recent entrants into the diplomatic services of India and Bangladesh to meet, exchange ideas and even learn from each other." During his stay in country, Mathai will call upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Ministers of Finance and Local Government and Rural Development of Bangladesh.