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Bimstec FMs aim to boost economy, fight terrorism

REZAUL KARIM
The 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) yesterday reaffirmed their commitment to create a suitable environment for rapid economic development and combat terrorism and transnational crimes in the region.
The meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and an additional secretary
of Sri Lanka added seven new areas of cooperation -- poverty alleviation, agriculture, cultural cooperation, terrorism and transnational crimes, environment and disaster management, public health and people-to-people contacts.
There are already six areas of cooperation -- trade and investment, technology, energy, transport and communication, tourism, agriculture and fisheries -- among the Bimstec member countries.
The Bimstec foreign ministers underlined the importance of timely
implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among the members.
The FTA in Bimstec region is having three components -- Trade in Goods, Trade and Services, and Investment. FTA in Trade in Goods is scheduled to take effect from July 1, 2006.
The ministerial meeting expressed hope that the Trade Negotiating Committee will finalise the agreement on Trade in Goods in December 21-27 Kathmandu
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meeting, and sign the FTA at the trade and economic ministers' meeting in Dhaka early next year.
Briefing reporters after the meeting at Sheraton Hotel, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan said, "We had a very successful and substantive meeting There was total unanimity and consensus on all the issues. We see a great future of the Bimstec."
The meeting set a vision for deeper economic integration, including removal of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers, putting in place mutual recognition agreements and agreement of avoidance of double taxation, he said, adding, "We underlined the importance of special and differential treatment and flexibility for LDC parties, as provided for in the Framework Agreement."
The meeting stressed the need for intensifying efforts towards air transport liberalisation, inland waterways, short-sea shipping and highway and raillinkages, he said.
Under Bimstec, two road links projects -- Thailand-Myanmar-Bangladesh, and Thailand-Myanmar-India -- have been adopted. Each country will construct link roads up to their border while in case of Myanmar, decision will be taken on how to provide financial assistance to construct roads within the country.
Bimstec foreign ministers agreed to relax the visa regime within the region, which is a home to 1.3 billion people. "Someday we will go to novisa regime within Bimstec,” Morshed Khan said.
The meeting agreed that Bimstec
should adopt a comprehensive Plan of Action on Poverty Alleviation, in keeping with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of United Nations, the foreign minister said.
The Bimstec ministerial meeting decided to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism and transnational crimes.
Two sub-groups are working to prepare reports onintelligence sharing and stopping terror financing. Another group is working on how to check illicit trafficking of humans, drugs and explosive substances.
The ministerial meeting decided to set up an inter-governmental experts' group to examine the establishment of a permanent Secretariat and a Charter for the organisation, Morshed Khan said.
The meeting also decided that the member states will celebrate June 6 each year as Bimstec Day and India will host first Bimstec Film Festival next year.
Foreign Affairs Advisor Reaz Rahman, Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Shahed Akhter, Director General (Saarc-Bimstec) Ruhul Amin and Director General of External Publicity Wing Zahirul Haque were present at the press briefing.