Saarc strikes energy deal

The foreign ministers of Saarc countries have signed a regional electricity deal at the last minute, making way for greater energy cooperation among the 8-nation group. The Saarc Framework Agreement on Energy Cooperation for a common grid to share power was signed in presence of leaders of the eight member states on Thursday, the last day of the 18th Saarc Summit in Kathmandu. Earlier, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said that the deal will allow creating a seamless electricity grid. The agreement is expected to lead to greater cooperation in the power sector, besides improving power availability in the region. After the signing ceremony, Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said the foreign ministers would sit again within next 3 months to discuss the Saarc agreements on motor vehicles and railway service. The summit at the opening session had sought the signing of 2 pacts on road and rail connectivity besides the regional electricity agreement. Pakistan was blocking the deals citing the lack of internal processes being in place. But on Thursday, it agreed on the pact after a retreat of South Asian leaders at Dhulikhel, 20 kilometres off Kathmandu, they said, according to bdnews24.com.