PM proceeds for South Asia free trade summit, to hold talks with Gilani

Irish Sun (IANS) Tuesday 8th November, 2011

Ahead of his visit to the Maldives for the SAARC summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday pushed for liberalisation of trade in the region and said he looked forward to bilateral discussions with other South Asian leaders that includes his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani.

'At the SAARC summit, we expect to move forward the procees of liberalisation of trade under the South Asian free trade area agreement,' Manmohan Singh said in a departure statement before he leaves for the Maldives.

'We also expect to sign agreements on implementation of regional standards, multilateral arrangements on recognition of conformity assessment, rapid response to natural disasters, and establishment of a SAARC seed bank,' Manmohan Singh said.

The prime minister stressed that India will work 'to promote regional integration as well as the development of a South Asian identity at the forthcoming summit'.

'On the margins of the SAARC summit, I look forward to the opportunity of holding bilateral discussions with other South Asian heads of state and government who will be participating in the summit,' Manmohan Singh said.

Manmohan Singh will hold bilateral talks with the leaders of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, the Maldives and Bhutan on the margins of the two-day SAARC summit that kicks of Addu Atoll in the Maldives Thursday. But all eyes will be on the talks Manmohan Singh will have with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, which is likely to take place Thursday.

Manmohan Singh will hold bilateral talks with Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed Saturday before he returns to New Delhi after a four-day visit to the Indian Ocean island.

'I look forward to holding in-depth discussions with President Nasheed on all aspects of our relations and will have the honour of addressing the People's Majlis in Male. We also expect to conclude concrete agreements to enhance our cooperation in both traditional and new areas,' Manmohan Singh said.

The 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC summit has an overarching theme of 'Building Bridges' and is expected to give fresh momentum to economic integration of South Asia, home to over one-fifth of the world's population.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai will be part of the prime minister's delegation for the two-day SAARC summit.