India issue must be put out of our minds: State minister

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Humayun Kabir has remarked that one cannot think about India for breakfast, lunch and dinner all the time, and must also think about one’s own country. Urging journalists to give importance to matters of their own country instead of asking one question after another about India, the State Minister said that if someone thinks of India from morning breakfast to lunch to dinner every day, then when will they eat their own country’s food, and that people should think about their own country instead of constantly thinking about India.

He made these remarks while speaking with journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday (September 13).

Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman will hold meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. Responding to a question on this matter, the State Minister said that whenever bilateral meetings are needed with anyone, or discussions are needed at multilateral forums, they will do so. Wherever opportunities exist, they will engage. Leaders cannot meet everyone, as there are many invitations, and they will take part in many sideline events.

Asked about the possibility of a sideline meeting between the Prime Minister and US President Mr. Donald Trump, the State Minister said the main purpose of the Prime Minister’s visit is to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly. Who the sideline meetings will be with may be determined even at the last moment.

He further said that multilateral forums work this way. A leader may say even at the last moment that they wish to meet the Prime Minister, and this is common at major conferences. Many changes occur in the daily schedules of world leaders on the sidelines. Whenever such meetings are confirmed, whoever they may be with, the information will be shared, and journalists will be the first to know.

Stating that the current government wants to rebuild bilateral relations with India, he said that after the uncomfortable relationship that existed for the past fifteen years with an autocratic, corrupt and plundering government, they want to move toward a new relationship, which should be built through bilateral discussions rather than multilateral forums.

Asked by a journalist whether this means a meeting is being arranged with India’s Prime Minister in New York, Mr. Kabir said that the question was not in the right place, and advised taking the matter of India out of one’s head.

Advising against always thinking about India, he further said that whenever bilateral or multilateral talks are needed with anyone, they will certainly hold them. However, it is not possible to meet everyone on the sidelines. Still, they will have many invitations and will hold discussions with many countries.