The Hindu : International : Bilateral issues: Dhaka opposes change in SAARC charter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 29, 2004

International

International

Bilateral issues: Dhaka opposes change in SAARC charter

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, NOV. 28. Bangladesh has opposed any change in the SAARC charter as otherwise it would be affected by the spillover of bilateral wrangling.

``Bangladesh is in favour of keeping the SAARC charter as it is now and no country should hold the summit hostage to bilateralism,'' the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, M. Morshed Khan, told presspersons on Saturday on the outcome of his recent visit to the SAARC countries as the special envoy of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

``Bilateral problems impinge on SAARC agenda and the only way out is to set aside negatives and go forward with the positives.''

Mr. Khan did not agree with thePakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's recent suggestion that bilateral problems be allowed into the SAARC agenda to make the forum more effective. He said the Kashmir issue, which was a bilateral dispute, should not be allowed to hamper the SAARC process. ``Bilateral issues could be discussed on the sidelines of the SAARC but the progress of the SAARC should not be held hostage to bilateral negativism.''

Launching pad

He said the Dhaka summit to be held in January 2005 would mark 20 years of the seven-nation regional forum and Bangladesh has proposed to make the event a launching pad for a ``vision for the third decade of SAARC'' along with nine other plans.

Agreements on various issues such as poverty alleviation and double taxation might also be signed to pave the way for implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).

SAARC funds

On the numerous SAARC funds, Mr. Khan said, India has committed $100 millions to the SAARC Poverty Alleviation Fund, ``but all leaders agreed it should allow others to contribute as they wanted and every one should enjoy the benefits.''

The Foreign Minister said theSAARC had decided to apply for observer's status at the United Nations and he was hopeful of getting it in the next General Assembly session in September 2005, if not by the year-end.

He said the 14thsummit would be hosted by India as Bhutan had declined to do so because of its poor infrastructure.

Dam project

Mr. Khan hoped that India would consult lower riparian Bangladesh before constructing any dam or barrage on any international river that passes through the twocountries.

He made the remark at a press conference when a reporter sought his comments on reports that India proposed to construct a dam on the Barak river at Tipaimukh that would adversely affect the eastern Sylhet region of Bangladesh.

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