Looking forward to receiving Suu Kyi in Goa for BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit: PM Modi

Vientiane (Laos), Sept. 8 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met State Counsellor of Myanmar and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and President of Republic of Korea, Park Geun-hye on the sidelines of the 14th India-ASEAN Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit in Vientiane. Ministry of External affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup in a series of tweets confirmed the meeting. "An icon of democracy, a partner for development. State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi meets PM," Swarup said. During the meeting Prime Minister Modi complimented Suu Kyi on the victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the elections and welcomed her as an icon of democracy. He also asserted that India would always stand with the Government and people of Myanmar as the new government strives to fulfill the aspirations of the people. The meeting between the two is the first one after the Nobel peace laureate assumed assumed power in Myanmar in March. Prime Minister Modi said that he was looking forward to receiving Suu Kyi in Goa for the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit, while asserting that cooperation in disaster manangement would be one of the important element of the Summit given that several countries in South Asia continue to face natural disasters. Suu Kyi in return thanked Prime Minister Modi and said that she was looking forward to visiting India where she had always felt "at home". She also briefed him on the progress in the peace and reconciliation process in Myanmar. Both sides positively assessed India Myanmar security cooperation. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in areas such as dairy farming, animal husbandry and agriculture. Prime Minister Modi then spoke about a possible agreement on pulses which had been discussed during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Myanmar. Both leaders also discussed cooperation in the area of their shared Buddhist heritage. Swaraj on August 22 had visited Myanmar and had bilateral engagements with Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw. Swaraj's visit to the country is the first major political exchange between India and Myanmar following the swearing in of new government. Prime Minister Modi had earlier met President of Republic of Korea, Park Geun-hye. "Engagement beyond the ASEAN too!PM @narendramodi meets ROK President @GH_PARK to further enhance strategic partnership," tweeted Swarup. Prime Minister Modi arrived on a two-day visit to Vientiane to attend the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit yesterday. He is scheduled meet and U.S. President Barack Obama today. (ANI)