Thursday, March 8, 2012

New Indian Envoy Would Execute Leaders' Vision


DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 7  The Indian high commissioner-designate to Dhaka wants to implement the vision of the leaders of the two countries with full respect for mutual benefit.

Pankaj Saran made the remark upon his arrival at the airport on Wednesday.

"I especially look forward to the next few years in Dhaka with excitement, anticipation and great hope for our relations, and to working in close association with the government of Bangladesh and all sections of Bangladesh's vibrant society to this end," he said.

The career diplomat is taking over as the head of the next-door neighbour's Dhaka mission at a time when Bangladesh is facing stalemate in common river water sharing and regular border killings, and when the country is going to see national elections in the two years' time.

"We share common challenges, have similar aspirations and have a lot to learn from each other," Saran said.

He termed Bangladesh a close and 'extremely important neighbour' of India.

The visit of prime minister Sheikh Hasina to Delhi in 2010 and return visit of Indian premier Manmohan Singh in 2011 have laid the contemporary foundations for the bilateral relationship of the two countries, he added.

In Feb, president Mohammad Zillur Rahman signed a letter of consent for the appointment of Saran.

Saran, an Indian Foreign Service officer, succeeds Rajeet Mitter, who left his office as the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka on Nov 1, 2011.

He took over, on deputation, as the joint secretary to the Indian prime minister in 2007 with the responsibility of external affairs.

Not an unfamiliar face to Bangladesh, Saran had been posted in Dhaka early in his career in the late 1980s. He was the second secretary at the Indian high commission here from Feb 1989 to June 1992. Later, he worked as the first secretary at the high commission.

Born on Nov 22, 1958, Saran also worked at Indian missions in Moscow, Washington, Cairo and Geneva.

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