ID :
14517
Fri, 08/01/2008 - 07:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/14517
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SAARC foreign ministers meet in Colombo to set Summit agenda
Sagar Kulkarni Colombo, July 31 (PTI) Under the shadow of the serial blasts in India, Foreign Ministers of the eight-member SAARC Thursday met in the fortified Sri Lankan capital to set the agenda for the weekend Summit aimed at boosting trade ties andcombating the food and energy crisis.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, representing India, the outgoing chairman of SAARC, began the proceedings of 13th Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers here by handing over the Chairmanship to his Sri Lankan counterpartRohitha Bogollagama.
In his opening remarks Bogollagama said that he looks forward to transform the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation which implements it programmes in a more effectivemanner.
The theme of this year's summit is "The SAARC: Partnership for our People." Terrorism could dominate the proceedings of the summit as it comes close on the heels of a wave of bomb blasts inkey Indian cities of Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
Sri Lanka which is fighting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has made unprecedented security arrangements for Summit and is not taking any chances despite the rebelsannouncing a unilateral truce for the meet.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers, which is expected to continue till Friday afternoon, will discuss ways to launch of the SAARC Development Fund and finalise a pact on regional legal cooperation to deal with criminal matters and afund to manage the food and energy crisis.
"Very positive. I look forward to the Summit. I think it will be a successful summit," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters when asked about hisexpectations from the summit.
"I hope the Summit is outstanding," Bangladesh ForeignAdviser Iftekhar A. Chowdhury said.
Bogollagama said he looked forward to a very fruitfuloutcome from the 15th SAARC Summit.
Foreign ministers of all the members nations-- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are attending the ministerial of the 23-year-old grouping. Nepal is represented by its FinanceMinister Ram Sharan Mahat.
Mukherjee is expected to meet his Pakistani counterpart Qureshi on the sidelines of the Summit during which he is likely to send a strong message in the wake of the recent ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control inJammu and Kashmir.
Special security measures are in place in and around Colombo where armed police, elite Special Task Force and tri-service personnel are a common sight in the heavilybarricaded city.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, representing India, the outgoing chairman of SAARC, began the proceedings of 13th Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers here by handing over the Chairmanship to his Sri Lankan counterpartRohitha Bogollagama.
In his opening remarks Bogollagama said that he looks forward to transform the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation which implements it programmes in a more effectivemanner.
The theme of this year's summit is "The SAARC: Partnership for our People." Terrorism could dominate the proceedings of the summit as it comes close on the heels of a wave of bomb blasts inkey Indian cities of Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
Sri Lanka which is fighting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has made unprecedented security arrangements for Summit and is not taking any chances despite the rebelsannouncing a unilateral truce for the meet.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers, which is expected to continue till Friday afternoon, will discuss ways to launch of the SAARC Development Fund and finalise a pact on regional legal cooperation to deal with criminal matters and afund to manage the food and energy crisis.
"Very positive. I look forward to the Summit. I think it will be a successful summit," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters when asked about hisexpectations from the summit.
"I hope the Summit is outstanding," Bangladesh ForeignAdviser Iftekhar A. Chowdhury said.
Bogollagama said he looked forward to a very fruitfuloutcome from the 15th SAARC Summit.
Foreign ministers of all the members nations-- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are attending the ministerial of the 23-year-old grouping. Nepal is represented by its FinanceMinister Ram Sharan Mahat.
Mukherjee is expected to meet his Pakistani counterpart Qureshi on the sidelines of the Summit during which he is likely to send a strong message in the wake of the recent ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control inJammu and Kashmir.
Special security measures are in place in and around Colombo where armed police, elite Special Task Force and tri-service personnel are a common sight in the heavilybarricaded city.
