Ties with Bangladesh important for NE, South Asia: PM

New Delhi, Sept 5 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Monday said India's partnership with Bangladesh was
important for the stability and prosperity of northeastern
states and can have a "profound positive impact" on South
Asia.
He said India was committed to extending full support to
Bangladesh in its development efforts.
"As a close neighbour and friend, India is committed to
extending its full support to Bangladesh in its development
efforts. Our partnership with Bangladesh is important for the
stability and prosperity of own Northeast region.
"It is a partnership which can have a profound positive
impact on the South Asian region as a whole", Singh said in a
statement prior to his departure for Dhaka Tuesday on a 2-day
visit.
Singh pointed out that the fact that he would be
accompanied to Dhaka by Chief Ministers of all the Northeast
states neighbouring Bangladesh "reflects our desire to have
across the board engagement with Bangladesh so that the fruits
of our cooperation are available to people on both sides of
the border".
He said India attaches "the highest importance" to
further developing and strengthening" its relations with
Bangladesh.
"Our relations with Bangladesh are rooted in history,
culture and the struggle for freedom. Both our countries share
common democratic values and development aspirations", he
added. "Our two countries are today witnessing an extraordinary
period of cooperation and friendship and my visit will provide
an opportunity to review the progress achieved in the
implementation of the decisions taken during the historic
visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2010", the
Prime Minister said.
Noting that the two countries have made "concrete
progress" in several areas such as security, boundary issues,
water resources, power connectivity, improvement of border
infrastructure, trade facilitation and economic cooperation",
he said "our endeavour will be to sustain and build upon this
positive momentum".
Singh said he expects his visit to lead to greater
cooperation between India and Bangladesh in all these areas.
We also expect to conclude concrete agreements which will help
us to elevate the level of our cooperation in the traditional
areas of cooperation and to develop cooperation in new areas.
He said that during his visit, he will call on President
of Bangladesh Mohammad Zillur Rahman and meet the leaders of
other political parties in Bangladesh and looks forward to
addressing a cross-section of Bangladeshi society at Dhaka
University.