Hazarika to attend BCIM forum in Kunming, China

Hazarika to attend BCIM forum</legend>Sanjoy Hazarika, Managing Trustee, is traveling to Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, for an international meeting of the BCIM FORUM (Bangladesh China India Myanmar) from January 17-19. The conference is hosted by the Yunnan Provincial Govt. The Indian team is led by Eric Gonsalves, former Indian Ambassador and seasoned diplomat. The Indian group includes Prof Mahendra lama, vice chancellor of Sikkim University, and Mr. K Sivaramakrishnan, chairman of the Centre for Policy Research, which, along with the Institute of Chinese studies in Delhi, are the co-partners for this dialogue. The BCIM Forum which began as the Kunming Initiative in 1999, is a track II process of discussions involving serving and former officials, scholars, trade specialists and others, aimed at improving collaborations in economic, cultural and communications sectors. The focus for India has been the North-east and eastern India while for China it has been South-West China. There are now direct flights from Kunming to Kolkata and plans are being made for a K-to-K car rally. Mr Hazarika will be speaking at the forum; he was at the launch of thr forum in 1999 and later led the delegation on a visit by road along the Stilwell Road to Burma.