NEW DELHI (PTI): India on Noy.22 agreed to consider a proposal put forward by visiting South African foreign minister Pik Botha, for establishing an economic grouping of Indian Ocean countries.
“It is a very interesting idea and we should certainly consider that,” Indian external affairs minister Dinesh Singh told PTI at the conclusion of Delegation level talks between the two sides.
Botha said he had put forward the idea to his Indian counterpart for an Indian Ocean grouping of States in some form or the other with economic underpinnings.
Botha, who had met Dinesh Singh without aides for some time before the delegation level talks, described the discussions as “very Open, easy.”
He stressed the need to identify areas in which both counties could forge a meaningful cooperation.
On his arrival here Sunday evening, Botha said he would like activate cooperation in the fields of trade, commerce and technology.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 3, 1993
