950819

Muneer to lead

Pak delegation

to 3rd ECO

chamber moot

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The 3rd meeting of the executive committee and the general assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be held in Tehran on August 23-24.

A six-member delegation headed by S. M. Muneer, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, will represent the country at the two-day meeting which will also elect the executive board and nominate the new Secretary General. Areas of priority and future activities of the ECO chamber will be discussed on the opening day, followed by calendar of activities of the ECO chamber for 1995-96.

Among other important subjects which will be deliberated upon are: Preferential tariffs and global developments (Uruguay Round and WTO), strategies for trade promotion and economic cooperation with special focus on the new member states of the ECO, a framework for cooperation between private sector transport companies, and the proposal for the establishment of a joint transit committee.

ECO transit trade agreement will also come under discussion, besides an agreement on the simplification of visa procedures for the businessmen of the member states of ECO.

The following proposals have been drawn up for the future activities of the ECO Chamber of Commerce and Industry:

To organize bilateral or multilateral meetings and or exchange of delegations among ECO member countries focusing on relevant subjects,

prepare annually a calendar of activities for the meetings of the existing sub-committees and other specific activities,

exchange information and make announcements on the commercial offers, tenders and development projects of the ECO member countries,

constitute conciliation and arbitration committees for the settlement of disputes that arise due to commercial and economic transactions between the real and legal entities of the ECO member countries, and

to undertake efforts towards the promotion of better economic and commercial relations with the new member countries of ECO.

Further mobilize efforts for the establishment of a joint transit committee,

ensure the implementation of the decisions taken in the second G.A. and E.C. meetings attaching priority mainly to transport, communications and trade,

publish a monthly News Bulletin to address the concerns of all ECO Chambers,

discuss ways and means of improving the flow of economic and commercial information among respective institutions of ECO member states, and

Setting up of a joint press & public relations bureau for the ECO Chamber in order to implement the abovementioned objectives.