Saarc charter of democracy adopted
The Saarc council of ministers yesterday adopted the charter of democracy in Thimphu, according to an official announcement.
Mooted by Bangladesh at the 16th Saarc summit held in Thimphu in April last year, the charter gives expression to the collective commitment of the member states to promote and preserve the values and ideals of democracy as well as democratic institutions.
The council of ministers comprises by the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who began a two-day long meeting in the Bhutanese capital, also approved the idea of run a cargo train from Bangladesh to Nepal via India.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, who is leading the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting, called for early removal of all kinds of para-tariff and non-tariff barriers to realise the full potential of SAFTA.
She stressed the need to implement Saarc Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS), as an instrument to allow freer movement of people and ideas, and also to create employment through flow of investments.
Dipu Moni called for collective actions to fight the menace of terrorism, trans-national organised crime, illegal trading of drugs and narcotic substances, regional extremism, money laundering, and reiterated Bangladesh's firm resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestation and to extend support to regional initiatives on the same.
The council of ministers approved the rules, regulations and modalities of the South Asian University, and mandated a steering committee to complete the process of formation of South Asia Forum.
They directed the Saarc Food Bank Board to address the issue of price incentive and access threshold to enable release of grains out of its reserve.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments