ANTALYA, 9 November 2019: The Council of
Ministers (COM) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) held its 24th
meeting in Antalya on 09 November 2019.
Ms. Andleeb Abbas, Parliamentary Secretary for
Foreign Affairs led the Pakistan delegation, which was attended by the Foreign
Ministers/ Deputy Foreign Ministers and Representatives of the ECO Member
States and Observers. Representatives of International Organizations also
attended the COM as Special Guests. The Secretary General of ECO, Dr. Hadi Soleimanpour
represented the ECO Secretariat.
In her statement to the Council of Ministers, the Parliamentary
Secretary stressed on the need to make the organization an invaluable platform
to promote connectivity, trade and economic cooperation among the member
states. She emphasized that the ECO Trade Agreement and the Transit Transport
Framework Agreement should be implemented to realize the full potential of the
Organization. She urged the organization to do an analysis why with so many
resources, it has not been able to achieve the results all its members want. To
achieve results we have not gotten before, we need to do what we have not done
before.
While drawing attention to India’s outright brutality especially to
women and children and blatant disrespect for human dignity in Indian Occupied
Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K), the Parliamentary Secretary said that Kashmir
issue is a serious threat to regional peace and security and a roadblock in the
region reducing its economic potential. She encouraged them to stand up for
justice and play their role for the peaceful resolution of this longstanding
conflict according to UN resolutions. The Honorbale Mevlut Cavusoglu, Foreign
Minister of Turkey assured that Pakistan and Kashmir have Turkey’s support,
after the conclusion of Abbas’s statement.
Highlighting Pakistan’s initiative of opening Kartarpur corridor, the
Parliamentary Secretary said that today is an historic day for Pakistan.
Thousands of Sikh pilgrims from across the world are visiting Pakistan to
celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. Pakistan was
not supporting economic corridor, but trying to create corridor of peace also.
The Meeting deliberated the progress made since the
last COM. Secretary General, Dr. Soleimanpour highlighted the overall profile
of ECO and progress made in various fields, inter alia, trade and investment;
transport & communications; agriculture and food security; energy and
environment; and international relations. Vision 2025 made in Islamabad meeting
was reviewed and the Parliamentary Secretary emphasized the need to implement
the vision and urged member states to make ECO truly effective.
The Meeting also discussed the development of
ECO since its expansion and exchanged views on the possible reforms needed for
keeping pace with the evolving requirements of regional cooperation.
The participants renewed their commitment to
promote regional economic integration among the ECO member states and resolved
to play an active role for the realization of the Organization's aims and
objectives
No comments:
Post a Comment