3rd ECO Ministerial Meeting on Commerce/Foreign Trade

ECO Secretariat, Tehran, July 11, 2005

 

Press Release

   

 

            The Third ECO Ministerial Meeting on Commerce/Foreign Trade was held on 7 July 2005 in Istanbul, Turkey. The meeting was preceded by the 3rd Meeting of High Level Experts Group on Trade, Investment and Other Related Matters and the Senior Officials’ Meeting, held on 5th and 6th July, 2005 respectively. The meeting was attended by the delegations of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Turkey. The Ministerial Meeting was inaugurated by H.E. Mr. Kürşad Tüzmen, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Customs of the Republic of Turkey.

 

            During the preceding meetings, the experts as well as Senior Officials of the member states deliberated basically on the text of the Protocol on ECO Rules of Origin to ECOTA and other relevant annexes (Anti-Dumping Measures; State Aid and Intellectual Property Rights), the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment in the ECO region (APPI) and the Agreement on Establishment and Operation of ECO Smuggling and Customs Offences Data Bank.

 

            The Protocol on ECO Rules of Origin to ECOTA and related annexes (Anti-Dumping Measures; State Aid and Intellectual Property Rights) were signed by the Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Republic of Turkey.

 

            Among other things, the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment in the ECO Region (APPI) was signed by the Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Turkey. The Agreement on Establishment and Operation of ECO Smuggling and Customs Offences Data Bank was also signed by three member states; namely Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey.

 

            The Optional Protocol on Fast Track Approach to ECOTA could not be signed. Member States, interested with the Fast Track Approach, need more time to reach a compromise. Three bilateral meeting, on the sideline of the next HLEG will reconsider the issue.

 

            The head of delegation of Pakistan also informed the meeting that ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) has been approved by its Cabinet for ratification and showed their readiness to sign the fast track approach to ECOTA. The head of delegation of Afghanistan informed the meeting that Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA) has been ratified by the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan thereof the agreement enters into force with the required number of signatory members.

 

            Non-signatory members can accede to those agreements, either through authorizing their Permanent Representatives to ECO Secretariat to sign the same, or during the Council of Ministers (COM) meeting in Astana on 20th August 2005. To that effect, a signing ceremony will be arranged with regard to those three agreements.

 

            Istanbul Communique was also issued at the conclusion of the Ministerial Meeting.

 

            The Ministerial Meeting further emphasized the need for early establishment and operationalization of ECO Trade and Development Bank and ECO Reinsurance Company. Moreover, they urged the member states for institutionalization of Business Forum, enhancement of the capacity of ECO-CCI, early implementation of Visa Simplification Agreement and to fully functionalize the ECO Trade and Information Network etc. etc.

Fourth ECO Ministerial Meeting on Commerce/Foreign Trade will be held in Kabul in 2006 as offered by H.E. Dr. Hedayat Amin Arsala, Minister of Commerce of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

    

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