Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that terrorism, drug-trafficking, trans-national organised crime and natural disasters were undermining efforts for economic progress and prosperity of the people. "This calls for innovative approaches and focused attention on socio-economic development of the region," he said while speaking at the 19th Council of Ministers meeting here ahead of the 11th ECO head of states summit meeting.
He said that global peace, stability and prosperity were indivisible, adding,"the global effects of economic and financial turmoil are not far behind us". He stressed on the need for devising mechanisms to effectively respond to contemporary challenges with enthusiasm and dedication.
The global financial crisis has not been the sole setback. There is a plethora of challenges threatening the region, he said. The Foreign Minister said that one of the fundamental objectives of the ECO was to ensure liberalisation of trade through lowering trade barriers. The ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA), therefore, remains at the heart of ECO's ambitions to establish within the region, a free trade area by 2015, he added.
He said that the agreement had the potential to create vast opportunities for the economic uplift of the peoples and together with the Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA), it could prove to be the engine of growth in the region. Foreign Minister Qureshi said that Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to implement ECOTA bilaterally and Afghanistan too has conveyed the positive, negative and sensitive lists in the context of ECOTA.
He hoped that the other signatories would also provide the necessary lists at early date so that this important agreement is implemented in the near future. At the same time, he added, Pakistan strongly urges the non-signatories to join this Agreement. He said the development of an efficient and modern transportation and communication network among the ECO member states is an important factor in the expansion of trade and socio-economic integration.
He said," Pakistan welcomes the commencement of the ECO Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Container Train, which had its inaugural run in August last year". He said the recent launch of the ECO Silk Road Truck Caravan is a very important milestone achieved by the Organisation, adding, this linkage would not only help boost trade, but also serve as an effective vehicle to increase people-to-people contacts and promote tourism among the member countries.
He expressed the hope that this Caravan, like the ECO Container Train, would be able to start its regular run in the near future. Qureshi told the meeting that the existence of trade, transit and transport corridors across the region would guarantee economic development and the prosperity of our people.
He said that the ECO Trade and Development Bank has started its operations and a representative office has been opened in Pakistan. It will play a crucial role in providing the necessary financial security to the business community of the ECO region, he added.
The Foreign Minister said that one of the objectives of the ECO, as stipulated in the Treaty of Izmir, is to enhance efforts for effective utilisation of the agricultural potentials of the region. Vision 2015 also envisages food and security for the region, he said and added that the agriculture sector is of immense importance for the ECO member states, as it plays a key role in employment, exports, food security and provision of raw materials and therefore, required greater attention.
He said that conservation of water in the face of higher growth rates in developing countries demands full attention at the regional level. He said the ECO centre for efficient utilisation of water would go a long way to serve as a regional hub for addressing water related issues in the region. Qureshi requested the member states to actively support its early establishment in Pakistan.
He said Pakistan attaches great importance to science and technology for the advancement of regional states. The Treaty of Izmir envisages the establishment of ECO Science Foundation, as a Specialised Agency of ECO, he said and added that the foundation would not only function as a reservoir of highly skilled scientific and technical manpower, but also facilitate promotion of scientific research among the member states.
But unfortunately, this importance foundation has not been able to start functioning despite a lapse of many years, he said, adding, however, we have recently made positive headway. The Foreign Minister informed the meeting that Pakistan would be hosting the first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation in January 2011. He said the meeting would render the foundation operational and invited the ministers for science and technology of the ECO member states to participate in the meeting.
Qureshi welcomed the establishment of the ECO Regional office on development of science and technologies in Almaty, Kazakhstan and added that an operational linkage could be established between the two institutions to make them more useful and result-oriented.
He said that one of the unique strengths of the ECO region is its richness in mineral and energy resources, which gives it an unparalleled advantages. He said Pakistan is keen to see proliferation of the infrastructure and energy projects in and across the ECO region.
The Foreign Minister said that Pakistan has been at the forefront of ECO efforts for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, has pledged a total of $5 million and so far remitted $two million. He said a lot of reconstruction activities in Afghanistan are taking place under the umbrella of the ECO.
He said Pakistan has a vision for the region, which is to see it transformed into a stable, peaceful and prosperous area. As a founding member of the ECO, he said, Pakistan has always associated itself with the organisation's activities with a sincerity of purpose.
"We are optimistic that the ECO has the ability to move ahead. I reiterate Pakistan's commitment to contribute optimally for an early and full realisation of ECO's objectives," he said. Earlier, Chairman of the Council and Foreign Minister of Turkey, Ahmet Davotoglu told the meeting that upgrading infrastructure and human resource development should be the top priority to achieve the goals set by the member states.