Guwahati: United States Ambassador Peter Burleigh on Saturday said trade missions from his country will visit the Northeastern region soon to explore possibility of investment in key sectors.
“Trade missions of US to India’s major cities are going on and we are in the process of expanding it to other areas including the north east,” he told reporters here.
“We are learning about increasing business opportunities in the N E region and American companies have shown interest for investments,” the envoy, who is on a visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, said.
Climate change and renewal of energy were being focussed on by the USA, Burleigh said his country was, however, open to collaboration in almost all major areas of interest.
“We are open to exploring virtually any area for investment.”
USA was currently participating in a conservation programme at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, he said and expressed satisfaction at the ‘amazing’ pace of development activities taking place in the state and its congenial atmosphere for investment.
Earlier, inaugurating an America corner at the Darwin School of Business premises here, Burleigh hoped that it would serve as an important link between the US consulate in Kolkata and the people of Assam.
“The corner will be a platform for visiting speakers to the region and a venue for a variety of events throughout the year,” he said.
There are more than 300 American corners worldwide and the Guwahati corner will represent the beginning of even stronger partnership between US and the people and institutions of the Northeastern region, he said Stating that the key component of American corner was institutional relationship, the ambassador said the corner was the place for the people to get access to current information about the USA.
‘India and China both vital for US’: Burleigh said America was maintaining friendly ties with both India and China, which were growing economies and vital for the US.
” Indo-US ties are not at the expense of Indo-China ties. It is not a matter of either-or, ” Mr Burleigh told reporters here during the inauguration of an American Corner here.
Replying to a poser if India’s closer ties with the US were taking it away from China, he said India had itself made it clear that it would maintain its relations with both countries.
For the US, both India and China were equally important, Mr Burleigh added.
” These three (US, China and India) are major economies of the world and all these three are very important, ” he said. (Agencies)