India,Norway on Eco-tech ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said trade and investment are the key for relations between India and Norway.

Exploring new avenues for deepening bilateral relationship PM @narendramodi and PM Norway @erna_solberg held delegation level talks. Discussed bolstering relations in trade & investment, blue economy, oceans & marine resources, climate change, SDGs & renewable energy.

EAM @SushmaSwaraj called on PM of Norway @erna_solberg today morning. Good exchange of views on expanding ties across all sectors. Immense opportunity to cooperate in blue economy, shipping, fisheries & aquaculture and renewable energy.

In his press statement after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Norwegian counterpart Ms Erna Solberg in New Delhi, Mr Modi said they reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations.

Mr Modi said both countries should work together to improve trade relations. He said ocean economy should be encouraged between Norway and India.

The Prime Minister added that India and Norway have been cooperating with each other on several issues including combating the menace of terrorism.

India and Norway exchanged an agreement following the talks.

Ms Solberg arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a three-day visit to India. She is accompanied by senior officials from her government and a large business delegation.

Ms Solberg was accorded ceremonial reception at forecourts of Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning. She also paid homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

India and Norway enjoy close and multifaceted ties and economic and technical cooperation are important facets of the bilateral relation.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is scheduled to call on the visiting dignitary. Ms Solberg will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

25th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture  

Lal Bahadur Shastri National Memorial Trust 

in collaboration with 

National Museum

(GOVT. OF INDIA)

cordially invites you to the

25th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture  

on

“Safe Childhood, Safe India”

to be delivered by

Nobel Peace Laureate “Kailash Satyarthi”

Founder of “Bachpan Bachao Aandolan”

 

Date : Thursday, 10th January 2019 

Time : 5.00 PM

Venue : National Museum Auditorium 

             Janpath, New Delhi 

             

R.S.V.P

Disha Hasani – 7783953791 – disha@printel.in

Taliban seek venue change for peace talks

Taliban will not attend planned peace talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia this month, and want to shift the venue to Qatar, Taliban officials said on Sunday, seeking to fend off Riyadh’s push to include the Afghan government in talks.

The upcoming negotiations, the fourth in a series aimed at ending the 17-year war in Afghanistan, are scheduled between the leaders of the Taliban and US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to discuss the withdrawal of foreign forces and a possible ceasefire in 2019.

Leaders of the militant group have rejected the Kabul government’s offer for direct talks, despite growing international pressure in favor of the Western-backed Afghan government having a seat at the table.

“We were supposed to meet US officials in Riyadh next week and continue our peace process that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi last month,” a senior Taliban member based in Afghanistan told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

“The problem is that leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) wanted us to definitely meet the Afghan government delegation, which we cannot afford to do now, and we have canceled the meeting in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The Taliban want to change the venue for the talks to Qatar, he said, the political headquarters of the militant group in Afghanistan and the site for earlier talks.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the group has decided to cancel the meeting in Saudi Arabia, but did not provide information about a new meeting venue.

The United States embassy in Afghanistan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Another senior Taliban leader said the group had explained to Saudi Arabia that it was not possible for the Taliban to meet the Afghan government at this stage.

“Everyone is aware of the fact that the Afghan government wanted the US and its allies not to leave Afghanistan and we have paid a heavy price to expel all foreign forces from our country,” he said.

“Why should we talk to the Afghan government?”

The Taliban regards the United States as its main adversary in the Afghan war and views direct talks with Washington as a legitimate effort to seek the withdrawal of foreign troops before engaging with the Afghan government.

The war in Afghanistan is America’s longest overseas military intervention. It has cost Washington nearly a trillion dollars and killed tens of thousands of people.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified since Taliban representatives began meeting with Khalilzad, an Afghan-born, US diplomat last year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times, but fighting has not subsided.

aljazeera.com