Date:12/08/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/08/12/stories/2003081204991100.htm

National

'Step-by-step approach to improve ties with Pak.'

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI Aug.11. The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, said today that Afghanistan and Myanmar should be part of a larger economic union with South Asian nations.

Briefing presspersons today, the External Affairs Ministry spokesman said that Mr. Sinha had made these remarks during a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry. Mr. Sinha, who had referred to the idea of a South Asian Union earlier, felt that a closer economic partnership involving South Asia should include Myanmar and Afghanistan as well. Speaking on India's relationship with South Asia, Mr. Sinha maintained that as a follow-up to the April 18 initiative of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Government had adopted a step-by-step approach to improving relations with Pakistan. People-to-people contacts was another dimension of this relationship.

On Sri Lanka, the External Affairs Minister said that New Delhi enjoyed an ``excellent relationship'' with Colombo. Mr. Sinha also announced that he would be travelling to Colombo for a Joint Commission meeting next week.

Referring to Myanmar, the spokesman quoted the Minister as saying that India wanted an early release of the National League for Democracy (NLD) leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.