PM conveys concern about anti-India activities in Canada

Lalit K Jha and Ajay Kaul
Washington, Apr 13 (PTI) Ahead of the 25th anniversary
of Kanishka bombing, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on
Tuesday conveyed to his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper
concerns about the activities of anti-India extremist groups
operating from that country.
Singh also underlined the need for monitoring such
outfits. The Prime Minister conveyed the concerns during a
meeting here and the Canadian leader assured that his
government would do its best in this regard.
Singh noted that the 25th anniversary of Kanishka
bombing, carried out by Khalistani groups, would be observed
in June, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash
told reporters while briefing on the meeting between the two
Prime Ministers.
The Indian Prime Minister remarked "there was continued
concern about the activities of extremist groups" operating
from Canada and hoped that their activities would be monitored
by the Canadian side.
Harper assured that his government would do their best
and the two sides agreed that the officials would remain in
touch, Prakash said.
All the 329 people on board the Kanishka Air India
aircraft were killed in the mid-air blast on June 23, 1985
during the flight from Montreal to London.
Singh's expression of concern comes amidst reports
that Khalistani groups were trying to regroup again.
During the 30-minute meeting, Singh and Harper also
referred to the inter-governmental agreement on civil nuclear
cooperation concluded in November. They expressed happiness
over it and hoped that the agreement could be finalised and
signed soon.
The two leaders also reviewed cooperation in trade and
economic area.
They recalled that an MoU had been signed between the
two countries in November last year on setting up of a joint
study group to explore the possibilities of concluding a
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and
expressed the hope that the report of the joint working group
would be available by May this year.
The two countries had also set in November a trade target
of USD 15 billion to be achieved in five years.
There was substantive exchange of views on the
forthcoming G-20 Summit to be hosted by Canada in June which
Singh is expected to attend, Prakash said.
Harper sought Singh's views on the agenda of the summit
and its focus. PTI