Saarc Council of Ministers Meeting This Week
Visa exemption for VIPs high on agenda
The upcoming meeting of the Saarc Council of Ministers will be dominated by a proposal to exempt certain categories of people from visa requirement to travel within the eight Saarc countries, diplomatic sources said.
To be held at Thimphu on February 8-9, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Council is also expected to take stock of various other initiatives, like forging greater integration, ending terrorism in the South Asia region and discussing the progress made in the implementation of regional Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
The meeting, comprises of the foreign ministers of the member states, would seek to expand the list of categories of professions exempt from travel visa requirements in Afghanistan Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
At present members of parliaments, top bureaucrats, higher court judges, 100 identified business leaders, sportspersons and leading journalists are availing Saarc visa facility.
However, India has been seeking a modification of the scheme to implement it effectively without any fear of misuse. It wants the provision of taking approval for three categories — businesspersons, sportspersons and journalists — prior to the long-term multi-entry provision is given to them.
But Bangladesh and other member countries opposed the modification at the last Saarc summit in Thimphu which was held on April, 2010.
Other issues to be discussed at the meeting, to be attended by Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, include economic integration, utilisation of Saarc Development Fund, Food Bank and formation of South Asian Forum.
Official sources said the MLAT was agreed upon at the Saarc summit in Colombo in 2008. Since then, all but Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal had ratified it.
The Thimphu meeting would also discuss a June 2010 proposal to step up cooperation in fight against terror and form a Saarc Police Force (Saarcpol) following the pattern of Interpol.
Meanwhile, foreign ministry officials said on the sidelines of the meeting, Dipu Moni will hold bilateral meetings with her Indian counterpart SM Krishna when entire range of Indo-Bangladesh bilateral issues will come up for discussion.
Moreover, they will discuss Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh, resolving of border and boundary demarcation issues, resolving of enclaves and lands in each other’s adverse possession, Teesta Water Sharing Treaty, progress of implementation of the agreements reached by the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India in January 2010.
Dipu Moni will also hold bilateral meetings with other foreign ministers.
The Council of Ministers will be preceded by 14th Session of the Programming Committee meeting in Thimphu on February 5, in which Director General (Saarc) of member countries will prepare agenda and issues, and place those for approval of 38th Session of the Saarc Standing Committee meet scheduled for February 6-7 in Thimphu. The Standing Committee comprises foreign secretaries of the member states.
