ISLAMABAD, March 6: Information Minister Nisar Memon said on Wednesday that the Saarc Information Ministers Conference will be an ice-breaking move towards attaining peace, progress and harmony in the region.

“The whole idea of exchange of information is to move toward the objectives of peace, progress and harmony within the region - and that is the objective of the Saarc,” he stated while welcoming delegates from Bhutan and Nepal at the Islamabad airport.

The second conference of information ministers from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation gets under way here on Thursday. President General Pervez Musharraf will inaugurate the meet.

Nisar said: “As a result of this conference, I hope any tension we have within the countries, will be removed.” The information minister noted that all member states were participating in the conference “and that is a good omen for Saarc”.

Nisar Memon said, the Saarc information ministers are meeting to create a “congenial environment in which the member countries can understand bilateral issues that they are facing.

“When their leaders meet, they may have any acrimony between any two members of the Saarc, and, I think, this is the time to re-look at and re-think about our priorities.”

President Pervez Musharraf, he underlined, is very clear about his priorities. “His priority is economic development of his country.”—APP