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Ganga-Mekong project launch on Nov.



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     Ganga-Mekong project launch on Nov. 10

The Hindu (New Delhi)
November 6, 2000

NEW DELHI, NOV. 5. An ambitious Ganga-Mekong Suvannaphoom linkage
project to promote tourism, culture and education between India and the
Mekong Basin countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
would be formally launched in the Laosian capital of Vientiane on
November 10.

The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, who leaves on a
week-long tour of Vietnam and Laos tomorrow, would launch the project
along with his counterparts from the five countries during their
historic meeting.

A decision to launch the project was taken by the six Ministers at a
meeting held on the margins of ASEAN post-Ministerial conference in
Bangkok last July.

The project in its second phase is expected to take up cooperation among
these countries in the transport and infrastructure sectors, including
railways, roads and air travel as well as greater cooperation in science
and technology and human resources, an External Affairs Ministry
official said. Higher education and areas relevant to knowledge-based
industries have been included on India?s suggestion.

Cooperative efforts would draw on India?s experience in IT and other
high-technology areas, the official said. In the tourism sector, focus
would be on promoting IT based on cultural resources and the common
heritage of the region. The project envisages package tours focusing on
Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the six countries.

?Given the commonalities of cultural traditions, including the Buddhist
heritage, there is good scope for India and these countries to join
hands to promote tourism as well as educational and cultural
interaction,? the official said. Revival of these links is expected to
have tremendous mutual benefits for trade and commerce, tourism, science
and technology and environmental conservation.

As most of the countries in the Mekong basin are relatively poor and
conscious of the need to catch up with ASEAN standards of economic
prosperity, there was tremendous potential for development projects
based on the common culture, the official said.

In Vietnam, Mr. Singh would attend the 10th meeting of the Indo-Vietnam
joint commission to explore avenues for giving new thrust to the
existing trade and economic ties between the two countries. Vietnam has
been pressing for more Indian investments in various fields.
Negotiations in this regard were underway at various levels, the
spokesman said. Vietnamese leaders have publicly expressed their full
support for New Delhi?s stand on Kashmir, terming it a ?sacred and
integral part? of India and criticized Pakistan?s interference in
India?s internal affairs. Vietnam also supports a permanent seat for
India in an expanded UN Security Council. - PTI


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<blockquote><b><font size=+2>Ganga-Mekong project launch on Nov. 10</font></b></blockquote>

<p><br><b>The Hindu (New Delhi)</b>
<br><b>November 6, 2000</b>
<p><b>NEW DELHI, NOV. 5.</b> An ambitious Ganga-Mekong Suvannaphoom linkage
project to promote tourism, culture and education between India and the
Mekong Basin countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
would be formally launched in the Laosian capital of Vientiane on November
10.
<p>The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, who leaves on a week-long
tour of Vietnam and Laos tomorrow, would launch the project along with
his counterparts from the five countries during their historic meeting.
<p>A decision to launch the project was taken by the six Ministers at a
meeting held on the margins of ASEAN post-Ministerial conference in Bangkok
last July.
<p>The project in its second phase is expected to take up cooperation among
these countries in the transport and infrastructure sectors, including
railways, roads and air travel as well as greater cooperation in science
and technology and human resources, an External Affairs Ministry official
said. Higher education and areas relevant to knowledge-based industries
have been included on India?s suggestion.
<p>Cooperative efforts would draw on India?s experience in IT and other
high-technology areas, the official said. In the tourism sector, focus
would be on promoting IT based on cultural resources and the common heritage
of the region. The project envisages package tours focusing on Buddhist
pilgrimage sites in the six countries.
<p>?Given the commonalities of cultural traditions, including the Buddhist
heritage, there is good scope for India and these countries to join hands
to promote tourism as well as educational and cultural interaction,? the
official said. Revival of these links is expected to have tremendous mutual
benefits for trade and commerce, tourism, science and technology and environmental
conservation.
<p>As most of the countries in the Mekong basin are relatively poor and
conscious of the need to catch up with ASEAN standards of economic prosperity,
there was tremendous potential for development projects based on the common
culture, the official said.
<p>In Vietnam, Mr. Singh would attend the 10th meeting of the Indo-Vietnam
joint commission to explore avenues for giving new thrust to the existing
trade and economic ties between the two countries. Vietnam has been pressing
for more Indian investments in various fields. Negotiations in this regard
were underway at various levels, the spokesman said. Vietnamese leaders
have publicly expressed their full support for New Delhi?s stand on Kashmir,
terming it a ?sacred and integral part? of India and criticized Pakistan?s
interference in India?s internal affairs. Vietnam also supports a permanent
seat for India in an expanded UN Security Council. - PTI
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