Need more time on Teesta, PM tells Hasina

Addu: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday conveyed to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina that the Teesta water-sharing accord will take some more time till consensus is reached and the interests of all concerned, including those of West Bengal, are addressed.

Manmohan Singh held wide-ranging talks with Sheikh Hasina at Hotel Shangri La in the idyllic Addu Atoll on Thursday afternoon after back-to-back talks with the leaders of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The two leaders agreed to move forward in all areas of bilateral

relations, with Manmohan Singh thanking Bangladesh's assistance in security cooperation, specially in relation to action against insurgents from India's northeastern states who were sheltering in Bangladeshi territory.

Briefing reporters after the talks, Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said the stalled Teesta accord was discussed. The prime minister conveyed to Sheikh Hasina that India needed some more time to build consensus on the Teesta issue, said Mathai.

Whatever agreement we arrive at will have to take into account the interests of all concerned, Manmohan Singh conveyed to Sheikh Hasina.

The Teesta water-sharing accord could not be signed at the last minute during Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September due to opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The two leaders also reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the implementation of projects identified under the $1 billion line of credit India had pledged to Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi in 2010.

The meeting between Manmohan Singh and Sheikh Hasina acquired an added significance as Calcutta University has invited her for its annual convocation, to be held either in December or January, 2012. However, there has been no confirmation of the visit from Dhaka.

If Sheikh Hasina visits Kolkata, she may meet Banerjee and could talk to her to break the logjam on the Teesta issue.

India-Bangladesh ties have been transformed in the last two years, with both sides making positive concessions to address each other's concerns on issues like trade and terrorism.