June 9, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 27,1423

ISLAMABAD, June 8: Bangladesh and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to work together for providing bonded warehouse facilities on bilateral basis, with a view to boosting trade between the two countries, an official announcement said.

The two sides have also agreed to review the free-trade market access arrangements on the basis of South Asia Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA), it said.

These views were expressed in a meeting, which was held between Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Morshid and Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood here.

Both sides agreed to further promote the commercial ties by increasing the volume of trade through regular shipping service between Karachi and Chittagong and availability of greater space in air cargo. Similarity of views existed between the two on the matter of greater private sector participation in bilateral trade growth.

Mr Dawood while highlighting activities in the trade sector said Pakistan had become major hub for exports to Central Asia and Gulf countries. Its trade with Iraq and Afghanistan has increased manifold.

“Pakistan is also trying to cap the trade opportunities on Saarc forum. Both countries are working closely at the international fora for promoting regional security and world peace,” he added.

Referring the Pakistan’s strong urge for peace, Mr Dawood assured the Bangladesh’s foreign minister that “Pakistan wants that peace should prevail in this poverty-stricken region, but not at the cost of dignity and honour of any neighbouring state”.

Mr Morshid said that he would take up the case of special bonded warehouses with their finance minister, but principally his government forsaw no problem in this regard.

He further said that his country, which was 5th largest practising democracy, had undertaken number of projects in the micro credit, education and poverty alleviation. He was of the view that all developing countries of this region should join hands to improve their representations at international fora.