ASEAN countries
File photo of Sarbananda Sonowal.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday tabled his proposal to open consulates of all ASEAN countries in Guwahati before External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

“I thank Sushma Swaraj Ji for taking personal initiative in setting up of Bangladesh and Bhutan consulates in Guwahati. To further facilitate easy movement and people-to-people contact, I urge for utmost priority in opening consulates of all ASEAN countries in Guwahati,” said

Sonowal while interacting with Swaraj during the interactive session with Chief Ministers of Northeastern states on Act East Policy in New Delhi.

“I also thank Sushma Swaraj ji for arranging this meeting and thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for placing Northeast at the heart of Act East Policy,” Sonowal said.

The review meeting on Act East Policy was called by the External Affairs Ministry to highlight the importance of Northeastern states in strengthening India’s relation with the Asian countries. Chief Ministers of all the Northeastern states were present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is going on a two day long official visit to Myanmar from May 1 to 11.

During the visit Swaraj will hold discussion with the Myanmar leadership on various bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. They are expected to also review the progress made on the decision taken during the last visit of Prime Minister to Myanmar in September 2017 to reinforce our bilateral relationship.

“Several key agreements covering diverse aspects of our bilateral relations are expected to be signed during this visit,” informed Kumar.
The issue of Rohingyas is also likely to figure during the talk.

Rajiv Roy is Northeast Now Correspondent in New Delhi. He can be reached at: [email protected]