18 July 2004	Sunday	29 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

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ISLAMABAD, July 17: Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Saturday expressed confidence that the Saarc council of ministers will be able to further strengthen Saarc and move forward by taking new initiatives.

He was talking to Secretary-General of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Q.A.M.A. Rahim, who called on him at the Prime Minister's House.

The Secretary-General expressed gratitude for excellent arrangements that Pakistan made for the meeting of Saarc council of ministers at Islamabad.

He paid tribute to Pakistan's chairmanship of Saarc and said the 12th Saarc summit meeting in Islamabad not only took important decisions but adopted documents that were of landmark significance in furthering regional cooperation in the South Asian region.

The Secretary-General briefed the prime minister about the follow-up of decisions taken during the 12th Saarc summit.

"Pakistan has also ensured effective follow-up and implementation of Saarc programmes and activities and generated momentum for sustaining and intensifying the Saarc process," he said.

The prime minister expressed his appreciation for the Saarc Secretary-General's efforts towards programmes and activities.

He expressed confidence that the Saarc council of ministers would be able to take the process forward by taking new initiatives and to further strengthen Saarc.

MEETING: Foreign Secretaries of the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Saarc will meet on Sunday to discuss host of issues before the meeting of their foreign ministers beginning from July 20.

Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar will preside over the two-day session of the standing committee to prepare a comprehensive agenda for the meeting for the council of ministers' meeting.-APP