ID :
13637
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 10:37
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/13637
The shortlink copeid
Dr Iftekhar meets Australian foreign minister in Singapore
DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 24 (BSS)- Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury had a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting currently being held in Singapore.
The meeting covered a wide range of bilateral issues including trade, development cooperation, immigration andsecurity, according to a message received here today.
This was the first high-level contact between Bangladesh andthe new government in Australia formed by the Labour party.
"Bangladesh sees in Australia a very close friend and strategic partner. We share many Commonwealth values. We have common interest in cricket for instance," Dr Iftekhar told themedia afterwards.
"Australia has recently expanded development cooperation by over 33 percent. I have requested Foreign Minister Smith for more scholarships for students and better immigration facilities forBangladeshis," he said.
The new Australian government led by Kevin Rudd has announced that relations with Asia as key to its foreign policy, themessage said.
"This is good for us," the foreign adviser remarked.
"We are developing close contacts with South East Asia and Eastern Asia now, and can also act as a bridge between the regionand Australia," he concluded.
The meeting covered a wide range of bilateral issues including trade, development cooperation, immigration andsecurity, according to a message received here today.
This was the first high-level contact between Bangladesh andthe new government in Australia formed by the Labour party.
"Bangladesh sees in Australia a very close friend and strategic partner. We share many Commonwealth values. We have common interest in cricket for instance," Dr Iftekhar told themedia afterwards.
"Australia has recently expanded development cooperation by over 33 percent. I have requested Foreign Minister Smith for more scholarships for students and better immigration facilities forBangladeshis," he said.
The new Australian government led by Kevin Rudd has announced that relations with Asia as key to its foreign policy, themessage said.
"This is good for us," the foreign adviser remarked.
"We are developing close contacts with South East Asia and Eastern Asia now, and can also act as a bridge between the regionand Australia," he concluded.
