PM assures EU of discussing complex issues

New Delhi, Feb 10 (IBNS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday assured that India and Europe will expedite discussion on the complex issues involving the negotiations on the Broad-Based Trade and Investment Agreement here.

Singh met with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy in the first India-European Union Summit in India.

In joint media interaction at 12th India-EU Summit, Singh said, "Our trade with Europe has reached 107 billion US dollars in 2011. Both sides have made considerable progress in the negotiations on the Broad-Based Trade and Investment Agreement. There are complex issues involved, but we have both agreed to expedite discussions so that we can conclude an Agreement at the very earliest."

He clarified the importance of Indian attachment with European nation for development and said, "I conveyed to the EU leadership the importance India attaches to EU´s participation in our growth agenda including in infrastructure development, clean energy technologies, innovation, research and skill development."

Singh assured that both the sides will solve crucial ´global issue´ jointly.

He said, "We exchanged views on the situation in West Asia, with particular reference to Syria and Iran and developments in our neighbourhood in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have a common interest in promoting stability in these areas."

"We discussed global challenges such as climate change, the global economic crisis and global governance reforms," Singh said.

He said that India would like to work with Europe at the forthcoming international conferences on Nuclear Security in Korea, the G-20 Summit in Mexico, the Rio+20 Conference in Brazil and Biological Diversity Conference in India.