Press
Briefing by the Hon'ble Foreign Minister
Eighth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting
19 December 2005
Good
afternoon,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We
have just concluded the 8th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting. I
am happy to inform you that we had a very successful and substantive
meeting.
Bangladesh
has taken over the chairmanship of the Ministerial from H.
E. Dr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon, Foreign Minister of Thailand
at this meeting.
In
the morning, we had informal consultations and exchanged views
in a frank and candid manner on all the issues before us.
Yesterday's
Senior Officials Meeting had reviewed progress in these areas
and submitted recommendations to the Ministers. Today the
Ministers adopted the recommendations after deliberating on
the issues.
At
the conclusion of the Meeting, a Joint Statement has been
issued. Copies are available.
Let
me mention a few highlights.
First,
the Ministers reaffirmed our commitment to deepen economic
integration and to create an enabling environment for rapid
economic development. Seven new areas of cooperation were
added, namely, poverty alleviation, agriculture, cultural
cooperation, terrorism and transnational crimes, environment
and disaster management, public health and people-to-people
contacts.
[The
existing six areas of cooperation were: Trade and Investment,
Technology, Energy, Transport & Communication, Tourism,
Agriculture & Fisheries]
Second,
in the area of Trade and Investment, for which Bangladesh
is the Lead Country, we underlined the importance of timely
implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
We
expressed satisfaction at the progress realized by the BIMSTEC
Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) in finalising the Agreement
on Trade in Goods. We expect that it would be signed at the
next trade and economic Ministers Meeting in Dhaka early next
year. As you know, the Agreement on Trade in Goods is scheduled
to enter into force on 1 July 2006.
We
called for considering steps beyond the BIMSTEC FTA and set
a vision for deeper economic integration, including through
removal of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers, putting in
place Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and Agreement on
Avoidance of Double Taxation.
We
underlined the importance of special and differential treatment
and flexibility for LDC parties, as provided for in the Framework
Agreement.
Third,
on Cooperation in Transport and Communication we stressed
the need for intensifying efforts towards air transport liberalisation,
inland waterways, short-sea shipping and highway and rail
linkages.
We
put particular emphasis on promotion of tourism. In this context,
the Ministers discussed such ideas as BIMSTEC visa exemption
stickers, Business Travel Cards and overall visa liberalization.
Fourth,
Poverty Alleviation: Our deliberations also focused on follow-up
of the outcome of the First BIMSTEC Summit. As you know, at
the First BIMSTEC Summit Prime Minister Khaleda Zia put special
emphasis on addressing Poverty. We agreed at this meeting
that BIMSTEC should adopt a comprehensive Plan of Action on
Poverty Alleviation, in keeping with the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs).
Fifth,
terrorism and transnational crimes have emerged as an issue
of common concern for BIMSTEC members
We
reiterated the emphasis placed by the First Summit on combating
terrorism and transnational crime and noted with satisfaction
the progress made by the Joint Working Group towards advancing
cooperation in these areas.
Finally,
in view of the increase in the areas of cooperation within
BIMSTEC, today's Ministerial Meeting decided to set up an
inter-governmental experts' group to examine the establishment
of a permanent BIMSTEC Secretariat and a Charter for the organization.
Overall,
as you may appreciate, the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting at
Dhaka has been very successful. As Hon'ble Prime Minister
mentioned in her inaugural address earlier today "BIMSTEC
has been in existance for over eight years. WE must now move
into implementing the measures we have identified and consolidate
the gains we have achieved." This is exactly what this
Ministerial Meeting has been able to achieve.
I
now open the floor, for questions.
....
