Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury had meetings with European External Relations Commissioner Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner and European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering at Brussels on Thursday evening, reports UNB.

With Waldner, the foreign adviser reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral political and economic relations between Bangladesh and the European Union.

Dr Iftekhar stressed the need for greater market access of Bangladeshi goods to the European market. “Bangladesh wishes to move out of dependency on aid and concentrate on trade as tool for development,” he told Waldner.

He also apprised her of the reform initiatives being undertaken by the government, leading to elections before the end of December. Commissioner Waldner assured him of the European Commission’s “fullest support” to these activities.

Also present at the meeting were Bangladesh envoy to Brussels Ambassador AHM Moniruzzaman, European Commission Representative to Dhaka Ambassador Stephen Frowein and Director- General Nazmul Quaunine of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, the foreign adviser called on President of European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering.

They discussed Bangladesh’s active role in the international scene, and agreed that bilateral cooperation would be “mutually beneficial”. They focused on Climate Change as a subject of common interest.

The foreign adviser briefed the president on Bangladesh’s “active interest in taking the Climate Change discourse forward”. They also agreed to cooperate on human rights issues.

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