EU keen on strengthening partnership with Bangladesh

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: The European Union (EU) wants to strengthen partnership with Bangladesh in the coming days.

“We reconfirmed mutual interest on strengthening EU-Bangladesh cooperation on disaster preparedness and discussed the need to reinforce humanitarian response to Rohingya refugees and the people of Myanmar,” said European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic after his meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud in Brussels.

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen also had a meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan and expressed willingness to strengthen the relations with Bangladesh on all fronts.

The separate meetings with the Foreign Minister were held Friday evening on the sidelines of 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum.

They congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Hasan on his new appointment as the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.

During the meeting, the two European commissioners expressed interest in working with Bangladesh on various issues through increasing EU cooperation and strengthening partnership, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister Hasan also held a number of bilateral meetings on the day with Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Hanke Bruins Slot, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Foreign Minister of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, Foreign Minister of Portugal Dr. João Gomes Cravinho and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.

During the bilateral meetings, the Ministers discussed matters of mutual interest including increasing trade and investment. Dr. Hasan requested for increased international pressure on Myanmar for repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas with full rights.

Dr Hasan also had fruitful exchanges with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell Fontelles, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel and Foreign Minister of Slovenia Tanja Fajon. (UNB)