NEW DELHI. May 4: Indian Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao said today that a solution to the complex issue of the sharing of water between his country and Bangladesh would hopefully be found in the near future, reports BSS.

Replying to questions at the post-summit press conference as the new Chairperson of SAARC. he said the Issue was discussed at the bilateral meeting with Bangladeshi Priine Minister Begum Khaleda Zia here yesterday evening and added that details of the matter would be discussed at other levels.

Rao. however, denied that failure to reach an agreement on the issue amounts to denial by India of human rights to Bangladeshis and observed that both countries had their share of the blame Jn the present situation. He said it would not be proper to blame India for the situation since "availability" of water Is also linked with the matter.

Rao said, following discussions with the Bangladesh Prime Minister the efforts would Increase for a solution of

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Asked" when he will visit Bangladesh as the chairman of SAARC. Rao said he had already told Begum Zia of his intention to be in Bangladesh but added that he could not say at this stage when the visit would take place.

Rao said with a smile that' on his last trip to Bangladesh he remained mostly confined within the Sonargaon Hotel and at the meeting venue. "1 would like to visit other places of this beautiful coundy." he observed. Rao was in Dhaka in April '93 for the seventh summit.

Answering other questions, the Indian Prime Minister said he did not believe that there were irritants among the SAARC countries and added that certain things were the fallouts of history which sometimes caused problems.

"But we have a common history and that should be the basis of positive developments." he said, expressing his confidence that things woul^ improve.

He toM another questioner that he was not aware that the Nepalese Prime Minister had offered to mediate in any bilateral disputes and added that the SAARC charter did not in elude such mediatory efforts.

About improvement of rela tlons with Pakistan, the Indian Prime Minister said his country wanted to see an improved climate in bilateral ties and added that the matter was discussed at his meeting with Pakistani President Leghari

In a lighter vein. Rao won dered how the Pakistani Pres

ident could return home without seeing the Taj Mahal. "He should come back here informally and that should be the kind of relationship." Rao said. However, replying to Pakistani newsmen's questions when the Kashmir issue would be resolved. Rao igpored the issue.

Rao told a questioner that. Sri Lankan President Chan--drika Kumaratungs had to rush back home because of domestic requirements and I added that the Dhaka Summit had to be once postponed because of his own domestic preoccupation.

He said developments in Sri Lanka, where weapons like surface-to-air missiles were going into non-governmental hands, caused concern In the region and the Issue was discussed among SAARC leaders in their "retreat" in Shimla yesterday.

Earlier, in his opening statement, .the Indian Prime Minister said that SAARC summits were "important and useful" as they helped sharpen the focus on regional coopera tion and provided an opportu nity to review and assess the progress as well as to chalk out programing for cooperation in the future.