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BIMST-EC meets to sign draft FTA tomorrow

Dhaka's demand for special treatment to be resolved

PALLA BHATTACHARYA, New Delhi
Bangladesh's demand for special treatment as a least developed country in a proposed free trade area in BIMST-EC is the only issue to be resolved at the two-day ministerial meeting of the regional grouping that beginsin Phuket.Uiailand tomorrow.
Sources in the Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation said Bangladesh suggested that it should be given special treatment in view of revenue losses stemming from free trade and itsnarrowmanufacturingbase.
They pointed out that no other regional economic grouping contained such a provision.
They hoped that the Phuket meeting would facilitate more effective economic integration of the LDCs in BIMST-EC and bridge the development gap between membernations.
On top of the BIMST-EC meeting at the level of foreign and commerce ministers in the Thai sea resort is the free trade area (HA) which is likely to be signed there.
To ensure that HA is implemented in right earnest, the meeting is also expected to take up strengthening of transport links among BIMST-EC countries.
A rail link between NewDelhi and Hanoi and enhanced shipping links
are likely to figure in the talks, the sources said.
India's state-owned firm RITES has been given the taskofpreparing a feasibility study for revival of a315 km rail track between India and Myanmar,
Among other issues likely to come up at the meeting is a proposal to introduce a business card that will allow easier travel for businessmen between Bl MST-EC countries.
The grouping will review progress in cooperation in six liigh-priority areas of cooperation identified when itwasset upin June 1997. Amongthe , areas arc trade and investment, ) energy, fisheries, transport and , communications, technology and tourism. The Phuket meeting will, also touch on promotion of tourism among member-countries with tire initiative taken by India.
The Indian cabinet last night approved the signing of the MA accord to perk up trade and economic cooperation among the BIMST-EC nations.
The accord will "progressively liberalise and promote trade in goods and services and facilitate investment", an official spokesman told reporters after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.