Dhaka moots new proposal on intra-SAARC military cooperation
Friday, 1 August 2008
Bangladesh Thursday mooted a new proposal on intra-SAARC military cooperation and strengthening the group secretariat at the Council of Ministers meeting ahead of the forum's summit in the Sri Lankan capital, reports UNB from Colombo.
Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made the proposal at the meeting, as, he later told reporters, the SAARC countries contribute 90 per cent to the UN peace-keeping missions.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama, who chaired the meeting, told the reporters that he instructed the SAARC Secretariat to study Dhaka's proposal on military cooperation.
Iftekhar said the charter of SAARC Development Fund and SAARC Regional Standardisation Organisation (SARSO) Agreement would be signed at the Summit. Headquarters of SARSO will be established in Dhaka.
Iftekhar said they want to see buildup of SAARC like ASEAN, GCC and the European Union, so it can improve the quality of lives for the people in South Asia. "We want to make it people's SAARC," he said.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo would make a new beginning to push forward the organisation from the declaration phase to the implementation stage.
Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made the proposal at the meeting, as, he later told reporters, the SAARC countries contribute 90 per cent to the UN peace-keeping missions.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama, who chaired the meeting, told the reporters that he instructed the SAARC Secretariat to study Dhaka's proposal on military cooperation.
Iftekhar said the charter of SAARC Development Fund and SAARC Regional Standardisation Organisation (SARSO) Agreement would be signed at the Summit. Headquarters of SARSO will be established in Dhaka.
Iftekhar said they want to see buildup of SAARC like ASEAN, GCC and the European Union, so it can improve the quality of lives for the people in South Asia. "We want to make it people's SAARC," he said.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo would make a new beginning to push forward the organisation from the declaration phase to the implementation stage.