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SAARC leaders endorse proposals on micro-credit, other issues
MALE, May 13: The leaders attending the SAARC summit met privately today in a resort hotel to discuss how they can advance an economic alliance for their impoverished countries, report agencies.
Heavy rain and high waves forced the leaders to cancel their retreat to a secluded tropical island. They met instead at the Kurumba Resort near Male, the capital of this Indian Ocean archipelago.
After a conciliatory meeting with India's leader, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif left the seven-nation summit a day early to attend a conference of Central Asian nations in Ashkabad, Turkmenistan.
Among a number of proposals discussed, the leaders endorsed a proposal by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made on the basis of recommendations of the micro-credit summit held in Washington.
The SAARC leaders agreed to support the target of providing credit facilities to the world's poorest 100 million families by the year 2000. Bangladesh For-
eign Secretary Farooq Sobhan told BSS.
The leaders also endorsed the proposal mentioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the summit calling for establishing direct airlink between the capitals of SAARC countries. The Prime Minister also forcefully argued that steps to be taken by all SAARC countries against trafficking of women and children. The leaders agreed that tough measures should be taken to combat trafficking of women and children.
The leaders endorsed the idea of setting up of a Eminent Persons Group (EPG) which will undertake a comprehensive ap-prisal of SAARC and examine ways and means to enhance its effectiveness.
Farooq Sobhan said the heads of state and government also decided that the eminent persons group should formulate a perspective plan of action. It is expected that the EPG will include at least one person of great eminence from each SAARC member countries but not more than two persons will be chosen from one country.
The leaders also agreed to endorse the request from the President of Srl Lanka to host the next summit conference scheduled to be held in 1998. The Sri Lankan President was very keen to host the next summit in Colombo in 1998 which would coincide with the 50th anniversary of independence of Sri Lanka.
It was further agreed that Nepal would host the summit in 1999 while Pakistan would host in the year 2000, Farooq Sobhan said.
On specific cooperation between two or more countries, such as sub-regional cooperation or the growth quadrangle, it was agreed upon that it would take place within the framework of Article Seven of the SAARC Charter. It was agreed
that henceforth specific projects agreed to by experts of two, three or more SAARC countries will be sent to the SAARC Secretary General who will obtain the consent of the standing committee.
The leaders also discussed a joint declaration setting the agenda for the future of the organisation to be issued at the end of the summit tomorrow.