KATHMANDU, DEC 16 - SAARC Secretary General Q A M A Rahim on Monday expressed an optimism that the upcoming summit in Islamabad could pass the much-awaited South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).
"Chances are that the Islamabad summit would pass the SAFTA putting an end to years of waiting for the free trade regime in the region," Rahim said at the Reporters’ Club. This will be followed by efforts to implement the treaty.
However, the passage will depend on whether or not the proposal would make it to the summit would be known only after the Commerce Secretaries of the SAARC nations pass the proposal at the Islamabad meeting in the last week of December.
Once the new arrangement comes into vogue business community from all the nations would be free to trade in any of the over 5500 items which figure in the SAFTA treaty which will be signed by SAARC Foreign Minister in the presence of the Heads of Governments.
Rahim also referred to the other two equally important issues which may figure high on the summit agenda such as adoption of the regional poverty profile and SAARC social charter.
"Both the document ~ ~ were prepared by experts from the SAARC nations and will be taken up with heightened interests," Rahim further said, adding that the signing of the social charter suggests implementation with immediate effect.
In fact social charter is being evolved as benchmark for various walks of national life like social and welfare programmes for women and children to labour welfare to human rights compliance.
Similarly, the regional poverty profile is also ready since the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (ISACOPA) has worked on it after series of meetings between experts and those participated by ministers and secretaries. SAARC Foreign Ministers had taken up the issue since last year and is likely to be approved by the upcoming summit. The summit is scheduled to take place from January 4-6, in Islamabad.Posted on: 2003-12-17 04:29

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