Foreign ministry to set up NE regional office

Aizawl, Jan 1: The Centre has decided to open a regional office of the External Affairs Ministry in North Eastern states this year, official sources here today said.

In a recent letter Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon has asked the NE state governments to submit seperate proposals detailing the need of the office in the region.

Menon had announced the decision of opening a regional office of the ministry during a North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting in November 2006 for improving biliteral relationship with Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.

Sources further said the DoNER ministry had taken up the matter with external affairs ministry and recommended the need of a regional office in the region, as most of the NE states share border with neighbouring countries.

However, it had not been decided in which state the office will be established, sources said.

UNI