Five Asian states to boost cooperation

Five Asian states to boost cooperation

DHAKA (Reuters): Junior ministers from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand met in Dhaka on Saturday to discuss cooperation in trade, energy, tourism and communications.

"The meeting reached consensus on a number of proposals for economic cooperation, which would be implemented soon," Abul Hasan Chowdhury, Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs told reporters after the meeting.

The five countries around the rim of the Bay of Bengal formed the sub-regional grouping in 1997.

The meeting discussed areas of cooperation in trade, sharing of energy, development of transportation and tourism facilities, Vasundra Raje, Indian State Minister for External Affairs, told the joint news conference.

"The trade imbalance with India can be turned in Bangladesh's favor by importing gas and other resources in energy sector," she said.

Bangladesh has plenty of natural gas and attracted huge foreign investment in the sector.

Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad, opening the day-long conference, said the private sector of the member countries should take the initiative of investment in priority sectors like trade, tourism, energy, and road and rail communications.

"The private sector will be a primary vehicle for channeling cooperation, while the respective governments will play a supportive role," he said.

Myanmar is totally committed to work together in the grouping for economic development including construction of roads to link the country with member states, U Khin Maung Win, deputy foreign minister of Myanmar said.

He said a road was being constructed to link India with Myanmar. But to connect Bangladesh with a 70 mile (112 km) road, some 200 bridges over creeks and rivers would need to be built.

"The challenges and pressures imposed on the Bay of Bengal rim countries could be averted with regional cooperation for which Sri Lanka was fully committed," Lakshman Kiriella, deputy foreign minister of Sri Lanka said.