External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said India is committed to an early solution on Teesta waters issue. He said, since water is a sensitive matter, internal consultations are on
amongst stakeholders on it and efforts are afoot to evolve a political consensus on the Teesta water treaty. Talking to media after the first meeting of Indo- Bangla Joint Consultative Commission, JCC , Mr Krishna added that there is no change in ground situation and waters are flowing.
Extradition pact, connectivity, border management and trade were also among other key bilateral issues that
dominated the JCC meeting, which was co-chaired by Mr Krishna and his Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni in New Delhi.
Mr Krishna informed that relations between the two countries encompass every possible area of cooperation which also include trade, power, water resources, security and border management. He expressed confidence that commendable achievements through mutual cooperation in recent months will act as a catalyst to strengthen the bonds of friendship.
The Minister informed that cooperation in the power sector was also reviewed during the meeting and work on power inter grid connectivity is progressing well. He hoped that 500 Megawatt power would flow from India to Bangladesh during the summer of 2013. He said that 1320 megawatt coal based joint venture power plant will be commissioned by 2016.
Mr. Krishna said, India has already granted zero duty access to all goods from Bangladesh and it has opened new opportunities for expansion of bilateral trade and their is a significant increase of textile exports from Bangladesh.
On this occasion, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni expressed satisfaction and said that every aspect of bilateral issues were discussed in the JCC. She said that cooperation is on right track. She also said that a delegation will soon travel to India from Dhaka to further discuss the extradition treaty.
AIR correspondent reports that the JCC was formed under the framework agreement on development and cooperation signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September last year.
