Sushma Swaraj holds talks with Belgian Dy PM, EU counterpart

Agencies

June 23, 2018

Brussels, Jun 23: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has met Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders and the two leaders undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues.

Swaraj arrived in Belgium on Wednesday from Luxembourg on the last leg of her four-nation tour. Earlier, she had visited France and Italy.

"Celebrating 70 years of our excellent bilateral relations! EAM Sushma Swaraj warmly welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Belgium Didier Reynders on her arrival at Egmont Palace," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet after the meeting yesterday.

"Delegation-level talks led by EAM Sushma Swaraj and Didier Reynders. Both leaders undertook a comprehensive review of our bilateral relationship and exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues," he said in another tweet.

Swaraj also met her European Union counterpart Federica Mogherini and held "excellent" discussions on a range of issues including counterterrorism, maritime security, trade and investment.

"EAM Sushma Swaraj met with the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini. Excellent discussions on maximising full potential of India-EU strategic partnership, including implementation of the decisions taken at the previous India-EU Summit in 2017," Kumar said in a tweet.

"EAM Sushma Swaraj and her EU counterpart Federica Mogherini discussed issues related to foreign policy and security, trade & investment and exchanged views on regional and global issues," he said.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Mogherini informed Swaraj on the preparation of a new Joint Communication on India, which will provide direction for increased cooperation in the coming years, as well as the EU's upcoming strategy to enhance, in a sustainable manner, EU-Asia connectivity.

They exchanged views on creating the conditions to increase trade and investment flows. Mogherini also expressed the EU's readiness to deepen the dialogue on data protection and referred to the new EU data protection regime, a statement from the Minister of External Affairs said.

Swaraj and Mogherini also discussed in depth foreign policy and security cooperation, namely on counterterrorism, cybercrime, maritime security, as well as in the Indian Ocean, it said.

They also addressed developments in their neighbourhoods, like the situation of the Rohingya, Afghanistan, the Maldives, the importance of preserving the JCPOA with Iran, as well as the ongoing diplomatic work for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, the statement said.

During her stay in Belgium, Swaraj held wide-ranging discussions with the EU leadership to strengthen India-EU strategic partnership.

India and the EU have been strategic partners since 2004.

The 28-nation bloc is India's largest regional trading partner with bilateral trade in goods standing at USD 88 billion in 2016.

India received around USD 83 billions of foreign direct investment from Europe between 2000 and 2017, constituting approximately 24 per cent of the total FDI inflows into the country during the period.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Hezbollah launches ballistic missile strike at Tel Aviv for 1st time; Intercepted by Israel

News Network

September 25,2024

Hezbollah has launched a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv for the first time, triggering sirens in the city and elsewhere including Netanya, the Lebanese resistance group says.

Warning sirens sounded in Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv as a single surface-to-surface missile was intercepted by air defense systems after it was detected crossing from Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

There were no reports of damage or casualties and the military said there was no change to civil defense instructions for central Israel.

The Israeli military said that for the "first time ever" a missile fired by Hezbollah reached the Tel Aviv area. "It is the first time ever a Hezbollah missile reached Tel Aviv area."

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October last year, shortly after the regime launched a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip following a surprise operation by Hamas.

Earlier, Hezbollah targeted the Israeli Ilaniya military base at the northern side of the occupied territories with a salvo of Fadi-1 rockets.

The base is reportedly affiliated with the 146th Reserve Division of the Israeli military, which is part of the Northern Command.

The group announced in a brief statement that the operation was carried out in defense of Lebanon and its people.

Hezbollah also said it targeted a military base near Safad twice with salvos of rockets.

The group stated that it targeted “the Dado base near Safad – the headquarters of the Israeli military’s Northern Command – with a total of 90 rockets in defense of Lebanon and its people.”

Hezbollah said in a separate statement that it unleashed a squadron of attack drones on the headquarters of the Israeli army’s Special Naval Task Force at the Alit Base.

The group said the attack on the Alit base, south of the major port city of Haifa, targeted “the locations of [Israeli] officers and soldiers” and achieved direct hits.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed at least 41,467 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said they do not want a war with Israel while stressing that they are prepared in case it occurs.

Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts.

Comments