PM holds bilateral meetings with China and Thailand

Regional economic partnership talks to be launched today

It was a full day for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the capital city of Cambodia. Hopping from one hotel to another, and from one palace to another, the PM had to still cancel one of the bilateral talks scheduled for today as some sessions got delayed.

While Singh managed two bilateral meetings today, one with China and another with Thailand, the one-on-one with the Cambodian premier had to be called off, to make it in time for the gala dinner at the luxurious Diamond Island Convention Center in Phnom Penh downtown, where world leaders such as US President Barack Obama gathered.

 

While no bilateral meeting has been fixed between Singh and Obama, who is on a flying visit to the city to attend the East Asia Summit (EAS) on the sidelines of the Asean meet, the two are expected to exchange notes over the Diamond Island dinner, and also at the EAS retreat session tomorrow.

The PM is scheduled to go for the last bilateral meeting tomorrow, the last day of his visit, with Brunei. Officials said Singh will try to complete his Cambodian commitment tomorrow, if time permits.

The Prime Minister has taken stock of things at the many bilateral meets that he had at Phnom Penh, said Sanjay Singh, secretary (east), ministry of external affairs, while summing up the essence of those talks. “The talks were extremely beneficial and will chart out a vision for the future.”

While the bilateral dialogues focused on boosting trade and strategic relations with India, the critical agreement on trade in services and investment still remains inconclusive. India is hopeful of an early conclusion, said officials. “I have no doubt that the conclusion of the Agreement on Trade in Services and Investments, together with our existing Agreement on Trade in Goods, will be a springboard for rapid expansion in our economic relations,” the PM noted.

At the 10th Asean-India summit today, the PM said, “This is a time of challenges in the region, but also of immense opportunities to shape its future. I am convinced that India and Asean can play an important and constructive role in building the regional architecture.”

After a day of meeting world leaders across hotels in the city, paying tribute to the late “King-Father” of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk, attending the Asean-India summit at the Peace Palace, and dining with close to 20 heads of state, the PM would be ready to launch the much awaited Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations tomorrow.

PHNOM PENH DIARY

Obama bows in with big media team

• United States President Barack Obama, who arrived here on Monday evening to attend the East Asia Summit, is learnt to have been accompanied by around 15 journalists on Air Force One, his official plane. In addition, around 90 journalists from America have been flown into the city in a separate charter plane, an official manning the media wing said
   
• Most of them are staying in the same hotel as the Indian journalists who have come with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The US media centre on the second floor, the same as the one for Indian journalists, has the White House logo in bold. The hotel, known for its sprawling casino on the ground floor, wore an unusual look with American security people stationed all over
   
• While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been very busy meeting world leaders and attending summits, wife Gursharan Kaur kept herself occupied with socially meaningful dos. For instance, she visited the Cambodian School of Blind and Deaf Children on Monday, with the wives of other global leaders. She might find some time for shopping tomorrow, at a place known for fabric, clothes, ceramics and pottery
   
• When asked what the trade target was with Asean countries, officials said, “as much as we get”, not giving a specific number. The government looks pleased that India has crossed the target of $70 billion in two-way trade in 2012. The trade between India and Asean countries is pegged around $79 bn, according to the latest figure
   
• Even as Indian businesses have been absent from the meet, which saw industry representatives from other countries participate in large numbers, the Confederation of Indian Industry issued a statement on Monday, saying the free trade agreement in services and investment between India and Asean should be speedily concluded
   
• Singapore is currently the biggest trade partner for India in the Asean region, while Indonesia is second. Officials said Indonesia could catch up soon. The promising sectors in relation to Indonesia include automobiles, they said