The Hindu Business Line : Govt keen to forge ties with Gulf trade bodies

THE Government is interested in working with various Indian business councils and chambers in the UAE to forge a common front to promote economic opportunities and implement Government policies that will help boost economic ties with the Gulf region, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Omar Abdullah, said.

Mr Abdullah, on a brief transit visit to Dubai on his way back to Delhi from Iran, told Business Line that joint action by various representative bodies in the UAE in coordination with the Indian Government could help in better and more fruitful expression of new government policies.

"Currently, these organisations are working separately and we should see if they can tackle issues on a common platform. The main idea is to work together as it is in our interest,'' he said.

He said the Government's Exim policy, as well as the facilities for NRIs in the recent Budget and the PIO scheme would be highlighted and ways to boost economic and business ties would be explored. He was of the view that the new Exim policy would definitely give a boost to exports, as it would make movement much easier.

In Iran, Mr Abdullah delivered a letter from the Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajyapee, to the Iranian President, Mr Mohammed Khatami, which covered a number of issues related to the region and Indo-Iranian cooperation.

Mr Abdullah also held talks with Iranian officials, he said.

He said the recent spate of attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, including the attack on the Ragunath temple were a fallout of the incidents in Gujarat. "This attack on the temple has happened after a gap of 16 years and it is a fallout of the violence in Gujarat,'' he said.

He denied that displaced Kashmiri Hindus will not get a proper chance to vote in the forthcoming State Assembly elections, stating that whoever wishes to exercise their vote, can do so in accordance with electoral rolls.

He said the National Conference has its own party manifesto and what other groups including the Hurriyat plan to do is entirely their own decision. ``At the end of the day, we will see if they enter the fray,'' he said.

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