Friday, Aug 13, 2004
Friday, Aug 13, 2004 |
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India & World
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, AUG. 12. The two-day talks between India and Pakistan for enhancing economic and commercial cooperation ended on a tame note today with both sides promising to consider the innumerable proposals exchanged during the deliberations. All eyes would now be on the scheduled meeting between the two Foreign Ministers in New Delhi on September 5 and 6. The operative paragraph in the brief joint press statement issued after the dialogue said it all: "Wide ranging proposals were made on various aspects of economic and commercial cooperation. These would be considered further."
50 proposals
The Pakistan Commerce Minister, Humayun Akhtar, defined the outcome of the talks when he told the Commerce Secretary, Deepak Chatterjee, that his country could consider reciprocating the Indian gesture of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status only if sustained political dialogue commenced for the resolution of all issues. At the talks, India made 50-odd proposals for enhancing trade and commercial ties. These were in the fields of telecommunication, agriculture, shipping, civil aviation, banking and information technology. The proposals also included the opening of the Wagah-Attari border for transit trade on a reciprocal basis. India offered to supply petroleum products, including diesel, to the neighbouring country.
Multiple airlines
It was also suggested by the Indian side that the two countries should promote investment in joint ventures in identified sectors. The Indian delegation wanted Pakistan to take steps to tackle piracy of films and music. It was suggested that the two countries participate in each other's trade fairs on a bigger scale. India proposed the extension of optical fibre cable from Attari to Lahore and enhancement of cooperation between mobile telephone operators of the two countries. In the civil aviation sector, India suggested that the two countries allow multiple airlines for operation of scheduled services on a reciprocal basis. It also proposed that Pakistan allow its designated carriers to operate seven flights a week to an international Indian airport and seven more to another international airport on a reciprocal basis. New Delhi also mooted a proposal to amend the 1974 Bilateral Protocol on resumption of shipping services to allow third country flagships/vessels to lift India/Pakistan-bound cargo and to permit these shiplines to lift cargo bound for a third country from their ports.
Oil, gas sectors
In the petroleum and gas sectors, besides proposing to supply petroleum products, New Delhi suggested exchange of experiments in the exploration activities in Pakistan — both onshore and offshore. Other proposals covered areas of infrastructure, capital market, information technology, postal services and banking.
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