Japan indicates efforts on to address India's concerns over RCEP

Japan on Sunday gave clear indications that efforts were on to make India join ambitious Regional Comprehensive Ecomic Partnership (RCEP), saying all member countries of grouping were committed to dress New Delhi's concerns.

After years of negotiations, India last month pulled out of proposed RCEP over unresolved "core concerns" at a summit meeting of participating countries, saying proposed pact in its current form would have verse impact on lives and livelihoods of all Indians.

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A spokesperson of Japanese government said Prime Minister Narendra Modi explained India's position on RCEP during a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Ko on Saturday. In meeting, Japanese ministers explained Tokyo's views on matter, Deputy Press Secretary in Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Atsushi Kaifu told reporters while referring to a statement issued by RCEP countries in Bangkok on vember 4.

two Japanese ministers were here to attend first edition of Indo-Japan defence and foreign ministerial dialogue. When asked wher efforts are on to dress India's concerns and wher Japan was hopeful of New Delhi joining grouping, Kaifu said RCEP statement mentioned that all negotiating countries will work toger to resolve outstanding issues.

"It was mentioned that efforts will be me to dress India's concerns," he said when asked wher back-channel talks are on to convince New Delhi to join RCEP.

negotiations for proposed free-tre agreement included 10 member countries of Association of Souast Asian Nations (Asean) and six of bloc's dialogue partners -- China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. In ir statement, 15 RCEP participating countries said that y concluded text-based negotiations for all 20 chapters and that deal could be signed early next year.

In RCEP summit in Bangkok, Modi conveyed India's decision t to join RCEP deal at a summit meeting of 16-nation bloc, effectively wrecking its aim to create world's largest free tre area having half of world's population. 

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