ECO Summits since 1992

1^st ECO Summit 1992

2^nd ECO Summit 1993

3^rd ECO Summit 1995

4^th ECO Summit 1996

5^th ECO Summit 1998

6^th ECO Summit 2000

7^th ECO Summit 2002

8^th ECO Summit 2004

6^th ECO Summit 2000

The Sixth ECO Summit held in Tehran on  June 10, 2000 reaffirmed its commitment towards increasing economic, technical, scientific, educational and cultural fields. The Summit also highlighted the importance of development of basic infrastructure in the priority fields of cooperation. It stressed the need to come up with the plan to meet the requirements, keeping in view regional/global changes taking place around to materialize objectives of the Organization.

The Summit called upon the member states for expeditious ratification and early implementation of all signed agreements and in particular the ECO Transit Transport Framework Agreement and the ECO Framework Agreement on Trade Co-operation.  It endorsed decisions of the 9^th and 10^th Council of Ministers Meeting held in Baku and Tehran in May 1999 and June 2000 respectively. The Summit called for co-operation in Mineral Sector, Agriculture, Industry, Tourism, Human Development as well as in Information Technology through establishment of an ECO-Intra Regional Network. It urged for further strengthening of co-operation in culture field by making operational relevant institutions. The Summit expressed its satisfaction on setting up a High Level Experts Group to identify feasible ECO Oil and Gas Pipeline Routes.

5^th ECO Summit 1998

Proceedings

The fifth ECO Summit was held on  May 11, 1998, in Almaty (Kazakhstan) and endorsed the decisions of 7^th and 8^th meetings of the Council of Ministers held in Tehran (April 1997 and May 1998 respectively) as well as the recommendation of 2^nd Ministerial meeting of Transport and Communications held at Ashgabat in March 1998.  At the end of the meeting Almaty Declaration was adopted.  The Meeting also witnessed the signing of the Charter of ECO Educational Institute, the MOU on Cooperation against smuggling and Customs Frauds and the Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA) to facilitate smooth flow of goods and passenger traffic. Summit also called for expansion of mutual co-operation in agriculture and industrial sectors and formulation of specific proposals/projects in this regard to be implemented either by joint efforts or with the assistance of FAO and UNIDO. It further called upon the member states to focus attention on the priority areas for co-operation.

Extraordinary ECO Summit 1997

Proceedings

An extraordinary Summit was held at Ashgabat on  May 14, 1997 and adopted the Programme of Action for ECO Transport and Communication and Energy as an urgent and priority goal. The Summit covered a wide range of prospects and stressed for their speedy and timely completion.

4^th ECO Summit 1996

Proceedings

The 4^th ECO Summit meeting was held on  May 14, 1996 in Ashgabat, (Turkmenistan). The meeting adopted the Ashgabat Declaration and witnessed the signing of the an MOU on the Reorganization and Restructuring of ECO and an agreement between the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran and ECO relating to the Rights, Privileges and Immunities of the ECO Secretariat.

3^rd ECO Summit 1995

Proceedings

The 3^rd ECO Summit meeting was held on  May 14-15, 1995, in Islamabad (Pakistan) and endorsed the decision of the 4^th and the 5^th Council of Ministers meeting held in Tehran and Ashgabat  in January 1994 and  1995 respectively. At the end of the meeting, the Islamabad declaration was adopted.  The Third ECO Summit also witnessed the signing of ECO Transit Trade Agreement, Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for the Businessmen of ECO Countries, the Agreement and Articles of Association of the ECO Shipping Company, the Agreement and Articles of Association of ECO Air, Articles of the Agreement of the ECO Trade and Development Bank, MOU on ECO Reinsurance Company, Charter of the ECO Culture Institute and the Charter of ECO Science Foundation. The Summit also approved MOU for co-operation between ECO and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and an MOU for co-operation between ECO and United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP).

The Summit agreed to intensify co-operation among member states in all sectors particularly infrastructural links (transport and communication) trade and investment facilitation, energy and ecology and protection of environment. The Summit stressed for effective follow up of all the approved plans by incorporating them in national, bilateral and regional arrangements. The Summit also welcomed the establishment of Supreme Audit Institution and to celebrate 28^th November the day of expansion of Organization as ECO Day to commemorate 1995-2004 as the decade of Transport and Communication in the ECO region and desired for expeditious execution of projects in these sectors.

2^nd ECO Summit 1993

Proceedings

The second ECO Summit meeting was held in July, 1993 in Istanbul, (Turkey).  The meeting endorsed the Quetta Plan of Action and ECO Long-term Perspectives (Istanbul Declaration) as adopted by ECO Council of Ministers.  At the end of the meeting, a Joint Communiqué was adopted which called for  mobilizing human and natural resources of the region and for collaboration with international bodies and regional grouping.  The Istanbul Declaration of July 1993 laid down foundations for a long Term Perspective Plan of ECO which:

• defined the basic goals to be achieved through regional co-operation by year 2000 in already defined fields;
• agreed on a long term perspective on the crucial role of the free enterprise and to ensure maximum participation of the private sector;
• called for development of modern and efficient infrastructure with emphasis on transport sector linking member states but also providing access to other areas of the world;
• promotion of scientific, technical and cultural co-operation on most favourable terms and enhance economic and commercial ties through exhibition, border market, free trade industry zone, multimodal transport company and promotion of tourism;

• signed an agreement between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Economic Co-operation Organization (ECO) relating to the Rights, Privileges and Immunities of the staff of ECO Secretariat.

1^st ECO Summit 1992

Proceedings

The 1^st ECO Summit meeting was held on  February, 16-17 1992 in Tehran-Iran and made the following main decisions:

• Endorsement of the Preferential Tariff Agreement with the sole purpose to promote intra-regional trade through efforts aimed at ultimate elimination of all tariff and non-tariff barriers on export;

• underlined the importance of co-operation in transport, communication, energy, industrial and agriculture areas and directed COM to work on it;

• stressed the need for an infrastructure development to strengthen strong economic ties among the member states and linking them with the outside world;

• The first ceremony of ECO awards in the field of social, natural science and fine arts was held;

• Summit welcomed the admission of new member Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan; and

• Summit also decided to allowed limited participation in economic, cultural and technical activities of Turkish Muslim community in Cyprus in ECO