From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: After the last visit of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with Chief Ministers of the Northeastern region earlier this year, New Delhi and Dhaka will have Home Secretary level talks here on Saturday.
The Indian side will be led by Home Secretary, Mr R.K.Singh whereas Mr Monzur Hussain will lead the visiting delegation. Security and border management related issues, police to police co-operation in capacity building and training are major items on the agenda.
Joint Working Group of the two countries will hold deliberations tomorrow prior to secretary level talks. The high level meeting is significant since the same is done after series of agreements reached between the two neighbours at the summit level.
The visit after a gap of 12 years was described as “historic” during which a series of protocols were signed but without agreement on two major issues. The two countries failed to sign an accord on sharing river water after objections from Ms Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal.
There was also no deal granting India overland access across Bangladesh to its land-locked north-eastern states. But the two countries agreed “to put in motion” a deal that allows about 50 Bangladeshi enclaves inside India to be integrated within Bangladesh and about 100 Indian areas inside Bangladesh to become part of India.
There was also a major agreement on settlement of land boundary disputes mainly with Meghalaya, Assam and Tripura. The Home Secretary level talks is likely to carry forward the agreements and also discuss about tackling cross border insurgency and infiltration.