ASEAN summit: Manmohan meets Laos President

ASEAN summit: Manmohan meets Laos President

Monday, November 29, 2004 (Vientiane):

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today met Laos President Khamtay Siphandone. The two leaders discussed bilateral, regional and international issues.

The meeting came a day after Singh's parleys with Laos Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachith during which the latter supported India's claim to a permanent seat in the expanded UN Security Council.

In his opening remarks at the ASEAN summit, Vorachith said the regional body's relations with India have expanded.

"The signing of the ASEAN-India partnership for peace, progress and shared prosperity at this summit will ensure a 'brilliant future' and 'durable' cooperation," he said.

Vorachith had on Sunday sought India's support in modernizing agriculture in Laos to which Singh responded positively.

The Indian Prime Minister is scheduled to meet his Japanese counterpart, Junichiro Koizumi later in the day.

Landmark partnership

At Saturday's foreign ministers meeting, India and ASEAN adopted a landmark partnership agreement setting out the direction of India's ties with the countries of the region.

The agreement will be formally inked by the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

Besides bilateral relations, terrorism figured prominently in the discussions.

"Prime minister mentioned that there should be both bilateral arrangements as well as multi-lateral arrangements to take a collective stand against this," said J N Dixit, National Security Advisor.

Growing economies

India's trade with ASEAN currently stands at around $15 billion and is expected to double by 2007.

Terming India as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the Prime Minister said that the partnership agreement would only add momentum to its ties with the powerful 10 nation grouping.

news from ndtv.com

(With PTI inputs)