Manmohan Singh meets Nepal PM in Myanmar

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday met his Nepal counterpart, Sushil Koirala, on the sidelines of seven-nation grouping Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

It is likely to be his last foreign visit as Singh has decided not to be prime minister after the polls. He used his two-day visit to renew contacts with leaders of the seven countries.

While leaving for Myanmar Dr. Manmohan Singh said, "BIMSTEC lies at the crossroads between SAARC and ASEAN, drawing its energy from the natural convergence of the countries around the Bay of Bengal."

"Connectivity and sub-regional cooperation in trade and investment, energy, climate, tourism, agriculture and other areas, provide the spark for the growth engine in our region. Security challenges, both natural and man-made, require our collective vision and determination to be overcome. Peace, stability and development in BIMSTEC countries, with over 20% of the world's population and over US$ 2.5 trillion worth of GDP, is indispensible for the forward march of Asia as a whole," he added.