Bhattacharjee talks border problems with Menon

Kolkata, Oct 28 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee held a meeting with Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon at the Writers' Building here today to discuss the situation in the state's border with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

In the one-hour meeting the problems of infiltration and militancy from across the border are believed to have been discussed.

''West Bengal is important from the point of view of external affairs since it shares border with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. We exchanged views regarding our relation with the neighbours,'' Mr Menon, who recently took over as Foreign Secretary, told reporters.

The Chief Minister, however, declined to elaborate on his discussions with the Foreign Secretary.

State Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb and senior MEA officials, accompanying Mr Menon, also attended the meeting.

In recent times, Mr Bhattacharjee had repeatedly complained about the threat of militancy and ISI activities from across the Bangladesh border as well as Maoist movement in the vicinity of the state's border with Nepal. He had also demanded an increase in the number of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel work and expediting of fencing along the border.

UNI TJP-KDG PA HT1910