Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on Sunday said that Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) has full potential to meet the challenges of the future as it can harness the region's vast human and material resources.
He was addressing the 14th meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers in Dushanbe.
The Foreign Minister said co-operation among the ECO members is expanding and added that there is need to further improve the pace of co-operation, as regional integration demands more intense efforts.
Kasuri said progress is linked with the ability to integrate regionally, adding that Pakistan believes that ECO has full potential to meet the challenges.
He said the common bonds of history and heritage, faith and geography have provided a strong bond of friendship for ECO member countries.
The Minister said the Treaty of Izmir is a manifestation of the brotherly relationship. He said, "we have been able to lay an institutional framework for co-operation among our peoples."
Kasuri said regional integration has become an economic imperative. He said ECO members could learn from the experiences of the European Union and Asean.
The Minister hoped that the decisions taken by the ECO would be implemented without delay. He said that there is also need for early convening of the first ECO Ministerial Meeting on Information Technology and the second Meeting on Energy.
The Foreign Minister said free trade is a high priority of the ECO. He said the developments following the Ministerial Meeting on Trade held in Islamabad in July 2003, set the goal of barrier-free trade.
He hoped the second high-level meeting, postponed on the request of states, would be convened soon in Islamabad.
The Foreign Minister said those states, who have already signed ECOTA should ratify it as soon as possible. He said the Transit Trade Agreement is an important landmark on the road to economic integration.
Kasuri said there is need to pay due attention to the construction of missing road and rail links in the region. He said, "we are happy at the completion of the railway link on Kerman-Bam segment of the Kerman-Zahidan sector."
The Minister said Pakistan is studying prospects of linking Peshawar with Termez in Uzbekistan and Chanian with Kushka in Turkmenistan. "We hope these and similar projects would contribute significantly to regional integration," he added.
Kasuri said early ratification and enforcement of the Transit Transport Framework Agreement is imperative to facilitate the flow of goods in the region. He said another important step to promote intra-regional trade would be the early establishment of ECO Trade and Development Bank and the ECO Reinsurance Company.
He said the proposal to make the existing ECO Shipping Company effective is also very important. The shipping company should take an early start on a sound profitable basis, he added.
Kasuri said the role of the private sector in enhancing intra-regional trade could not be overemphasised and added active involvement of the private sector would bring new dynamism to regional co-operation.
Referring to Pakistan's support to Afghanistan, he said Pakistan has already pledged $100 million for reconstruction of Afghanistan, besides, the contribution of $5.0 million to the ECO Special Fund for Reconstruction of Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan is extending full co-operation to Untied Nations for the elections in Afghanistan and added that Pakistan is confident that elections will strengthen democracy there.
These elections would also promote peace and stability in the region, he added.
The Foreign Minister said terrorism is a threat to peace and progress and added that Pakistan has been in the forefront of the fight against this menace.
He said, "We have been its victim and know its horrors first hand."
Kasuri said ECO must address terrorism together with drug trafficking, as these two are the common enemies.
Referring to the President Musharraf's vision of "Enlightened Moderation", the Foreign Minister said its projection could reject the intolerance and extremism as it promotes modern knowledge by Muslims.
Kasuri said Pakistan believes that a sincere and sustained dialogue is the best way to peace and stability in South Asia.
The Foreign Minister said Pakistan looked forward to the early resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiris. This will lead to durable peace in South Asia, he added.
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