Kaladan News

Date: Saturday, July 31, 2004

BIMST- EC Summit in Bangkok

Chittagong, July 31: A BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Economic Cooperation) summit was held in Bangkok yesterday and is set to be renamed it “ Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation” (BIMSTEC), according to the “ The Daily Star”.

A decision was taken in this regard at the ministerial level meeting on the first day of the two-day summit of the regional grouping in the Thai capital yesterday.

The foreign ministers of the 7 member countries agreed to introduce BIMSTEC business travel card or visa to enhance trade and commerce within the region. The ministerial meeting also decided to form BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce comprising representatives from all member countries.

It decided to set up BIMSTEC Center, the headquarters of the organization, in Bangkok and a biomass gas plant in Burma, according to BSS, Bangkok.

The ministers agreed to explore cooperation in the areas of public health, education, rural community development, small and medium scale enterprise, construction, environment, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), biotechnology and weather and climate research and natural disaster mitigation and management.

The battles against terrorism and HIV/ AIDS and the creation of an Asian monetary fund were due to feature during the two days of discussion among foreign ministers, six prime ministers and the Sri Lankan president, Thai officials said.

While foreign ministers met yesterday, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had face-to-face session with fellow leaders included Burma counterpart General Khin Nyunt who refused to bow to international pressure over the release of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

“Khin Nyunt said that Burma would decided on the appropriate and proper timing for the date of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s release and Myanmar is an independent country, they don’t want anyone to interfere with their internal matters”, Thaksin told reporters after the meeting.

During a bilateral meeting between Thai Prime Minister and Bangladesh Prime Minister on the side lines of the BIMST-EC summit that began in the Thai capital yesterday, the two Prime Ministers agreed to set up a technical expert committee to accelerate the process of constructing a road linking Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand.

Khin Nyunt also attended an official dinner hosted by the Thai Prime Minister in honor of the BIMST-EC at the government house. ##

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