India, B'desh FMs meet, no major headway on emotive issue

India today offered Bangladesh expertise in civil nuclear sector and outer space during a meeting between their Foreign Ministers but the meet could not make any major headway on emotive issues of Land Boundary Agreement, Teesta water sharing and extradition of ULFA leader Anup Chetia.
During the third Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting, jointly chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, the two sides also agreed on various proposals to increase and enhance connectivity between the two countries including a trial run of Dhaka-Shillong Bus Service by 2014.
After the meeting, the two sides inked the MoU on Nalanda University.

Reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the ministers talked about strategic areas of trade and investment, security, connectivity, border management, water, power, shipping, renewable energy and development cooperation among others.
Briefing the reports on the JCC meeting, MEA Spokesperson Syed Akabaruddin said India has offered expertise in the civil nuclear sector as well as in outer space and will now await for specific assistance proposal from the Bangladeshi side.
Asked if the issues of LBA and Teesta water sharing were discussed, he said, water was a "sensitive" issue that needs to be addressed in a manner which was fair, equitable, and none of the party was negatively impacted.

The government, which was in the process of evolving a internal consensus on Teesta issue, was committed to give it "due attention".
On LBA, he said, the matter has been referred to the new members of the Parliament's Standing Committee and due process will be followed.
On India's long-pending demand for the extradition of ULFA leader Anup Chetia, he said the issue was discussed but refused to give any further details.