Dhaka: Maintaining it is ready to resolve all disputes with neighbours through talks, Bangladesh has said positive discussions were held on some "unresolved" issues with India during Foreign Minister Morshed Khan's recent visit to New Delhi.

"We think peaceful co-existence, not interfering in one another's international affairs and mutual respect are essential in particular to build up bilateral and regional cooperation," Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said in Parliament yesterday (Jun 9, 2004).

Bangladesh is ready to resolve all disputes with neighbours through talks on the basis of equality and respect for national sovereignty, she said without naming India.

Zia said Khan's recent visit to New Delhi as her special envoy was to "convey best wishes to the new Government there with a view to strengthening bilateral relations".

Referring to Khan's meetings with Indian Ministers, she said, "Positive discussions were held regarding solutions to some unresolved issues and both countries expressed willingness to resolve those problems through dialogue."

Khan visited New Delhi from May 31 to June 4. In their first high-level contact after the Manmohan Singh Government assumed office, India and Bangladesh discussed insurgency, inter-linking of rivers and other issues in a spirit of "mutual understanding" and agreed not to let bilateral ties be a prisoner of the past.

Zia claimed that her Government took massive initiatives after assuming power to improve relations with India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar and Afghanistan, official BSS news agency said.