Foreign secys to meet, break fresh ground

This includes a proposal to exempt heads of states of SAARC countries from visas for travelling in the region. This, official sources say, is part of a larger idea to bring in more categories into the list of persons who will not be required to carry visas in SAARC countries.

Along with the heads of states, it has been suggested that members of prominent advocacy groups, like those involved in women’s rights issues, should also be included in the category. This aspect may be discussed in more detail at the foreign secretaries’ meeting.

On the table for the foreign secretaries will also be a range of other reports generated by expert groups, including those on poverty alleviation and intra-regional cooperation. This will be of particular interest to India which has mooted the idea of a Poverty Alleviation Fund and offered to contribute US $100 million.

The foreign secretaries are also slated to work on a vision document for SAARC. This, sources say, will then become part of the agenda for the foreign ministers and be put up for declaration at the summit next year.

India, for its part, will concentrate on taking ahead the SAFTA process, while emphasising the need to cooperate more extensively on social issues like health, poverty and environment.

On the SAFTA front, the prominent issues on the table are:

• Finalising a list of sensitive trade items for each country

• Framing rules of origin through consultations between member states

• Technical assistance to the least developing countries (LDCs).

• Mechanism for compensation of losses to LDCs.

Besides, the ministerial meet will review the progress on commitment by the non-LDCs (India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) to lower tariffs to 20 pc by 2006. LDCs are supposed to cut tariffs to 30 pc.

This is part of the phased tariff liberalisation programme which is supposed to culminate in January 2016 when SAFTA is targeted to be fully operational. India will urge for timely progress towards SAFTA, while also expressing its desire to increase opportunities of trade under the existing arrangement. New Delhi has been pressing with Islamabad, in particular, for more tariff lines under SAFTA.

Apart from External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, the Indian delegation will comprise Foreign Secretary Shashank, Foreign Secretary-designate Shyam Saran and Additional Secretary (Policy and Planning) S.K. Tripathi and Joint Secretary (Pakistan) Arun Singh. Other Joint Secretary-level officials will also be present.

With a time-table already announced for talks on the remaining six issues, Singh and Kasuri will exchange notes before the official-level meetings begin.