A guideline on satellite television programmes, free movement of media persons and a regional media fund feature high on agenda of the third Saarc information ministers' conference to be held in New Delhi today.

In the run-up to the two-day ministerial meet, information secretaries of the seven member-countries met in Delhi yesterday to finalise the agenda and review the progress in implementation of proposals.

Bangladesh Information Minister Tariqul Islam arrived in Delhi yesterday afternoon to take part in the meet, also to be attended by his counterparts from Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will inaugurate the ministerial conference and slightly deferred his departure for a three-nation tour.

Top of the information ministers' agenda is the model guideline on

transnational satellite broadcast in the region, which stipulates that programmes must avoid anything derogatory to any member-country or its ethnic group.

The guideline details the content of the programme and advertisements to be aired on satellite channels and says news coverage must be "accurate and impartial" in dealing with controversial issues involving the members of Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Coo-peration).

It also suggests that programmes should not include anything portraying the member-countries in a twisted light, avoid anything that incites or perpetuates hate against a member and should be sensitive to diverse values and cultures in the region.

A major reason for a common Saarc position on transnational broadcast is the shared concern over its socio-political impact on the countries in the region.

It claims to evolve a balance between Saarc commitment to the free flow of information and news and its impact on the social, cultural and political fabric.

The guideline underscores discretion, good taste and decency in dealing with sensitive subjects like religion, children and sex.

The need for a guideline was articulated at the first meeting of

Saarc information ministers in Dhaka in 1998.

India is likely to propose holding of a Saarc film festival. Among other issues expected to figure are a regional media forum, an annual conference of editors and working journalists and training of media personnel in South Asia.

The feasibility of establishing a Saarc media development fund and

unfettered movement of journalists in the region will also be

discussed.

The conference will also take up for review the progress in setting up a Saarc information centre.

Although the Saarc charter prohibits raking up bilateral issues at any meeting of the regional grouping, India is bracing for the possibility of the Kashmir issue to be raised by Pakistan Information Minister Shaikh Rashid and preparing a counterpoint.

Even if Saarc talks about free flow of information among its members, Indian feature films and television channels are banned in Pakistan.

A few Months back, a group of Indian artistes, including singers Abhijit and Jagjit Singh, met Indian Information Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to discuss the curbs on their visits to Pakistan, while Pakistani performers have free access to India.