August 11, 2006	Friday	Rajab 15, 1427

DHAKA, Aug 10: Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan said on Thursday that all BIMSTEC members should show flexibility to ensure equitable trade growth in the region.

The minister made the statement while talking to newsmen at Zia International Airport on his return from New Delhi after attending the BIMSTEC ministerial meeting that ended without fixing a new deadline to conclude the FTA negotiations.

The negotiations on proposed FTA under the seven-nation BIMSTEC framework were scheduled to conclude on July 1 this year. The 9th ministerial meeting that ended on Wednesday could not set any fresh deadline.

“The FTA cannot be imposed on any country. The FTA cannot be effective without equitable development and justice,” Khan told reporters.

He said bigger economies must be cooperative in ensuring the equitable justice for smaller economies of the forum comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

“We’ve to be sensitive about the deadline as we have seen many problems continue to persist even after the signing of the FTA,” the minister said while replying to a query. “We cannot make undue delay in concluding the negotiations otherwise we may lose out the global market opened for us.”

Mr Khan said the expert group would submit their proposals before the next BIMSTEC summit to be held in India early next year.

The Delhi meeting also discussed cooperation in the energy, science and technology, environment, disaster management, tourism and people-to-people contact.

On easing visa regime, the minister said officials of the home ministry and customs departments of the member countries would hold meetings shortly to prepare guidelines for easing the visa regime for free movement of the people among of the member countries.