India, Bangladesh pacts can reduce incidents on border: SM Krishna

NEW DELHI: With India and Bangladesh settling the vexed boundary issues, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today hoped it would "greatly reduce" the scope for incidents on the border.

"With the settlement of boundary related issues and improvement in border management, past difficulties such as illegal border crossings and related difficulties will be suitably addressed by both the sides," he said.

Krishna was making a statement in the Lok Sabha on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two-day visit to Bangladesh.

He said the Prime Minister's visit to Dhaka "marked a watershed" in the bilateral relations.

Krishna said India and Bangladesh have put in place mechanisms which "we hope will greatly reduce the scope for incidents on the border and strengthen mutual trust and goodwill among the border guarding forces and people living in the border areas."

He said India also agreed to a long standing request by Bangladesh for 24-hour access to Dahagram and Angarpota across the Tin Bigha.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need for an extradition treaty during his discussions with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

On the failure in signing the Teesta water-sharing deal, Krishna said government would act in full consultation with the state government concerned in finalising the agreement.

He said the two leaders emphasised the need for expeditious action to complete agreements on sharing of common rivers.

Krishna termed as "historic" the agreement on exchange of enclaves and noted that in implementing the agreement, people living in the border areas will not be dislocated.