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| November 28, 2002 | Thursday | Ramazan 22, 1423 |
ECO states urged to adopt regional outlook
ISLAMABAD, Nov 27: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called upon the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member states to rise above immediate national interests and adopt a farsighted and regional outlook to realise the organization’s potential.
In a message on the ECO Day, he said: “Pakistan as one of the founding members of the ECO is fully committed to its aims and objectives.
“In order to make strides forward it is extremely essential that we rise above narrow and immediate national interests and adopt a farsighted and regional outlook.
“I am sanguine that the ECO would realise our shared vision of a prosperous region when all the ECO agreements are fully adopted and implemented ensuring optimal benefits.
He emphasized the need for completing the missing road and rail links within the ECO region and said it was the key to the expansion of intra-regional trade.
“In the present day world of intense competition, small and medium sized countries have no choice but to join regional economic organizations,” he said.
#JAMALI:# Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, in his message marking the 10th anniversary of the group, falling on Thursday, reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to transform the ECO into a dynamic entity, which was set to play an influential role in the global and regional economic forums.
“We are aware that the organization has been rather slow in the past in achieving its targets in various areas of economic activity,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the reorganization and restructuring of the ECO secretariat and the decision to hold ministerial meetings at regular intervals would help achieve better results. He said the true potential of the organization had still not been realised.
The prime minister underlined the need of tapping natural resources and exploiting the economic advantages of the region for the benefit of all member states.
He said:” On the historic occasion of the ECO Day, the government and the people of Pakistan join the governments and the people of the other ECO member states in renewing their commitment to the goals ad objectives of the ECO envisaged in its basic charter - the Treaty of Izmir.”—APP
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