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German minister tells press confce

Political crisis must end for economic development

By Staff Correspondent
The vlsiUng German minister for economic cooperation and development. Carl-Dieter Spranger. has said the present political crisis should be solved immediately for the sake of econoinic development. •
"It is necessary to reach a solution to the poliUcal crisis for continuing impact of economic assistance." said the minister at a press, conference at the NEC auditorium yesterday.
Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman was also present in the press conference.
During his stay here, the minister met President Abdur Rahman Biswas, Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. For eign Minister Mostafizur Rahman, State Minister for Planning Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan in addition to holding official talks with Finance Minister Saifur Rahman.
He also mtt Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina.
"During my discussion with the leaders. 1 repeatedly said solution to the political impasse must be found within the Constitution. The present situation Imnedes investment and
deters a positive climate for foreign investment." said the minister.
Asked what was his impression about the attitude of the political leaders towards the political crisis, he said everyone is aware about the impact of the situation.
He said the level of German assistance to any country depends on five conditions — respect for human rights, participation of people in decision making, existence of rule of law. market—oriented economy and social order.
"If they were not being met in their entirety, then there would be no co-operation in .Bangladesh," the minister said
He, however, refused to point out at what level Bangladesh was regarding the fulfilment of these conditions.
Spranger said the focal areas of cooperation In Bangladesh, the eighth largest recipient of German aid. are in the fields of basic health, pri mary education, promotion of small and medium Industries, power, environment, flood protection and cyclone shei-
BangJadesh has so far received 3.3 billion US dollars in grants from Germany.
The visiting team had visited a number of German .assisted projects and talked with the proponents and opponents of the Flood Action Plan (FAP)
"1 was Impressed with the performance q( these projects, specially thq self-reliance result of our co-operation." said the minister.
BSS adds: The official talks on bilateral economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Germany was held yesterday at the National Economic Council Bhaban.
• Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman led the Bangladesh side while the visiting German minister for economic cooperation and development affairs, Carl-Diet* Spranger. led the German side.
Both sides reviewed the existing relations between the two countries in the field of economic cooperation and hoped that such cooperation would increase in future for the development of Bangladesh particularly in the field ofbuilding up infrastructural facilities and expansion of poverty alleviation programmes.
Both sides decided to conclude the annual discussion for cooperation between the two countries by March/April this
Earlier. Initiating the discussion the Finance Minister thanked the German govern ment for its support and assistance to Bangladesh since the independence of the country.
Finance Minister Saifur ■ Rahman requested the German minister to support and participate in the co-Hnancin^ of the Jamuna bridge railway approaches.
He pointed out that the total cost of the project was estimated at 175 million US dollars. The Asian Development Bank had confirmed an allocation of 70 million US dollars for the project in Its 1996 lending programme for Bangladesh while the government of Bangladesh would provide 35 million US dollars out of its own fund.
Germany could provide the .remaining 65 million US dollars for the project, he added.
The finance minister also requested the German minister to conclude the Comilla-Chittagong 230 kv transmis-' sion line project involving 55 million dollars equivalent to Taka 1600 million which the Germany had committed in 1995. Out of U.c three conditions imposed by Germany, the government had already fulfilled two conditions and all possible efforts were being made to fulfil the remaining one. he added.