GUWAHATI, Nov 18 ? British High Commissioner to India, Sir Michael Arthur today said the security situation in Assam and the North East is generally ?encouraging? and hoped that investors, particularly from Britain, would invest here to take advantage of the region?s huge economic potential.
Addressing a press conference in the city this evening, Sir Arthur, however, said that the international press has ?noted? the recent serial blasts in the State triggered by militants and that has created doubts in the minds of many. The High Commissioner, who is meeting the Governor, Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, businessmen and intellectuals later this evening, said that the prospects for a ?more stable security environment? would be high on his agenda of discussions.
The envoy said that Britain condemns terrorism in any form and said that cross border terrorism is a major problem worldwide. ?Terrorists don?t respect national boundaries,? he said, adding that an effort should be made to ?tackle the roots of terrorism.?
Paying his first visit to the North East after his appointment in 2003, Sir Arthur said that the ?fantastic natural beauty? of the State impressed him. Assam should exploit its huge potential in eco-tourism to attract more tourists, he said, pointing out that the State gets its biggest supply of foreign tourists from Britain.
The High Commissioner is on a nine-day tour of Nagaland, Assam and Meghalaya and is accompanied by the British Deputy High Commissioner to Eastern India (Kolkata), Dr Andrew Hall and their wives.
The visit is part of the ongoing process to further strengthen Indo-British relations over a wide spectrum of areas including education, environment, climate change and sustainable development. The High Commissioner is also exploring the scope for trade and investment. He is spending three days in Assam. ?I am impressed by the variety and beauty of Assam.?
?My visit to Assam is to look at opportunities for greater partnership,? Sir Arthur said. A British firm has joined a local company to launch a cruise boat in Assam while Premier Oil is operating successfully in upper Assam, he said.
Britain is trying to get more Assamese students to the United Kingdom and is offering a large number of scholarships. Britain also has a major interest in the tea sector in the State. The UK is the biggest consumer of Assam tea though imports are declining over the past few years.
Speaking about Britain?s role in the socio-economic development of Assam, the High Commissioner said that India is the biggest recipient of development aid from his country and Assam is getting a share of that in three areas. British assistance has gone into Sarva Siksha Abhijan (SSA), maternal and child health care and AIDS awareness and prevention activities.
Asked whether Britain could help the State in mitigating the flood problem, the diplomat said that his country provides assistance during natural calamities. But there was no request from the State Government for assistance. ?We could have helped if they had asked,? he stated.
The British envoy, an Oxford University alumnus, said that Indo-British relations are going through a positive phase and there is a ?strategic partnership? between the two democracies on a wide range of international issues including environment and security. India and Britain are major trading partners and trade in goods and services between them are growing at 20 percent per annum.
It is worth nearly ? 5 billion a year. There is increasing reciprocal investment between the two countries. Britain is the second biggest foreign investor in India while India is the eighth biggest investor in Britain.