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Khaleda for win-win trade option for all

AGENCIES, Islamabad
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday called upon South Asian nations to devise trade promotion so that it becomes a "win-win situation for all".
"Trade promotion critically calls for reducing tariffs, dismantling non-tariff barriers and impediments of an institutional and attitudinal nature affecting exports from smaller to larger Saarc countries," she told the opening of the 12th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), a grouping of seven nations.
Top leaders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives sat for summit talks in the Pakistan capital on some major topics, including establishing a South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) encompassing
the seven Saarc countries.
"Trade liberalisation should lead to a win-win situation for all ... In other words, it needs to be approached with a more open mind," Khaleda said.
She said the new trade regime could include reduction of the content of value-addition requirements, special measures for the LDCs (least developed countries), adequate timeframe for freeing trade, compensatory financing for revenue loss and the concept of an early harvest.
On finalisation of the Saarc Social Charter, the prime minister said by signing the Charter, the Saarc leaders demonstrated their commitment to give it a social dimension.
The prime minister recommended six potential sectors for
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economic development in South Asia including an exclusive regional centre for ICT (information communications technology), a regional energy grid and use of alternative energy sources, and early adoption of an inter-regional investment agreement to increase employment, reduce trade imbalance and promote South Asia as a common investment zone.
The three other recommendations were promotion of development in line with recommendations and plan of action of the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, increasing people-to-people contact, especially strong cultural and sports-exchange programmes, and enhancing cooperation to confront terrorism, organised crime and drug abuse.
She also urged the Saarc leaders to jointly face the challenges of heightening security concerns, donor fatigues and shrinking markets for the region's products.
Calling for a long-range vision for the Saarc, Khaleda said the organisation must concentrate on projects that have a regional focus and orientation.
Although poverty reduction is the foremost objective of the Saarc, she noted that the forum was yet to
successfully tackle this common foe. "South Asia remains the region with the largest concentration of absolute poverty."
About globalisation, the prime minister said its benefits have not accrued evenly, adding that economies of the South, especially the least developed countries, have been marginalised.
"Terrorism has further spread," the prime minister said and condemned the second attempt on the life of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
Chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister and new Saarc chairperson Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, the ceremonial opening session was also addressed by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nepalese Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Yoeser Thinley and host Pakistan Prime Minister Jamali.
Earlier, outgoing Saarc chairman and Nepalese Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa formally declared the 12th Saarc summit open at 11:45pm (Bangladesh time). Host Prime Minister Jamali was later unanimously elected the new Saarc chairman.