Thursday, March 24 2005 14:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India is keen that postponed South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Summit at Dhaka be convened the earliest and Pakistan, as chairman of the grouping, is required to initiate consultations with member nations to identify fresh dates, Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh said in Rajya Sabha today (Mar 24, 2005).

In a written reply, he said Government of India wishes to reorient SAARC programmes towards specific project activities in key areas of economic and social development and regional integration, which can bring tangible benefits to the people of the region.

India seeks to finalise modalities for the setting up of SAARC Poverty Alleviation Fund, to which it has offered $ 100 million as contribution, for financing poverty alleviation projects in member countries, outside India, Rao said.

Rao said India is also keen to promote proposals made at the 25th Session of SAARC Council of Ministers Meeting in Islamabad in July 2004, for a High Economic Council to deliberate on economic, trade, investment, fiscal and monetary issues associated with regional economic integration, and Infrastructure Fund to finance large projects to improve cross-border communications and infrastructure, including ports and energy.

India has also proposed a SAARC Centre for Disaster Management to be set up within the National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi, which can serve as a SAARC Regional Training Centre and provide early warning and response for disaster prevention and mitigation, he said.

Agreements on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, and Avoidance of Double Taxation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Mattersare expected to be signed at the 13th Summit, the Minister said.