HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Foreign secretaries review GEP report, SAPTA progress

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 31: The 27th session of the Standing Committee (SC) of the South Asian foreign secretaries continued to discuss the issues and agenda put forth by the programming committee of SAARC and other institutions under the regional body.

"The delegates discussed extensively on ways to find out permanent solutions to problems including terrorism, poverty, which have been a daunting challenge for the South Asian humanity, the report of the Group of Eminent Persons (GEP) and effective implementation of the conventions and agreements made among the member countries in the past," explained Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affaris (MoFA) and SAARC Spokesperson Pushkar Rajbhandari while talking to the press.

The SC meeting today discussed about the need for including terrorism in the national legislation of the member countries so that the present-day global evil could be addressed from grassroots.

"The meeting also discussed the issue of effective implementation of the convention on terrorism and banning of the smuggling of narcotics and drugs since these were the problems creating a havoc not only in South Asia but the world over," Spokesperson Rajbhandari said.

The meeting also discussed on the future vision of SAARC, a report prepared and submitted by GEP, which the 9th Summit of SAARC in Male had established in 1997 for recommending a comprehensive mechanism to further vitalise the activities of the regional body.

The SC meeting also reviewed the progress about the implementation of SAFTA, transition from SAPTA to SAFTA and other issues on regional economy.

The Spokesperson also informed that while discussing about regional economy, Nepal proposed to host the 4th SAARC Fair in 2002.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of SAARC with WIPO, the international body overseeing patent rights.

Earlier, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SAARC and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) at the presence of all the foreign secretaries of SAARC today. The SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo and regional director of UNIFEM Chandani Joshi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions. The two Organisations will work together for a period of five years in a bid to promote and empower women of South Asia.

Spokesperson Rajbhandari also informed about the issues to be discussed tomorrow. "There will be consultations regarding economic co-operation, South Asia’s progress with WTO, tourism cooperation, SAARC Japan Special Fund, SAARC’s economic diplomacy with European Union, UNIC, WHO and UNCTAD.

The Spokesperson said that the foreign secretaries will also be discussing tomorrow about enhancing ‘People to People Contact’ in the region.

After the end of deliberations tomorrow, the foreign secretaries of the South Asian nations will prepare a detailed report to facilitate the SAARC Council of Ministers’ meeting slated to begin from Wednesday.

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