By IANS,
New Delhi : European Union’s chief diplomat Catherine Ashton arrives in New Delhi June 22 on a three-day visit to firm up the agenda for India-EU summit and explore possibilities of cooperation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
“The situation in Afghanistan-Pakistan region and issues relating to cooperation in counter-terrorism will be discussed,” Stefano Sannino, deputy director general who deals with Asia in the European Commission, told reporters here.
Ashton, high representative for foreign affairs and security policy of the EU and the first vice president of the European Commission, will meet External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Defence Minister A.K. Antony during her visit.
There are plans to arrange meetings with the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj as well.
Ashton’s meetings in New Delhi will help firm up the agenda for the next India-EU summit to be held in Brussels later this year.
The EU is keen that the summit is held in October, but New Delhi has yet to agree to the dates, sources said.
The bilateral trade between the 27-nation bloc and India is estimated to be over $50 billion. The two sides agreed to double bilateral trade in another five years at the India-EU summit in Marseilles, France, in September 2008.