Friday, November 11 2005 10:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: India has asked rich countries to provide additional financial resources and technical assistance to build capacity of developing nations, which provide transit facilities for goods in landlocked regions.

Addressing a United Nations Committee, Indian delegate Harin Pathak, MP, said the cost of building of roads, railways and ports as well as maintaining physical infrastructure is high. Hence, it requires active cooperation among landlocked and transit developing countries and the developed nations.

This, he added, underscores the need for the donor nations to commit additional resources.

India, he said, enjoys close and historical relations with Bhutan and Nepal, two landlocked nations, and accords the highest priority to enhancing its friendly and good-neighbourly relations with them, including through strengthening of trade relations and cooperation on transit transport issues.

"The 1995 Agreement on Trade and Commerce between India and Bhutan continues to provide to Bhutan free third country exports and imports, without subjecting them to Indian customs duties. A Treaty of Transit, valid for seven years, was signed between India and Nepal in January 1999. The Treaty has considerably improved and simplified the procedures for transit of Nepalese cargo through Indian Territory", he told the delegates.