ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (KUNA) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri Friday traveled to Afghanistan to attend 17th meeting for the Council of Ministers of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) that will review progress on trade agreements and other projects.
The meeting, which begins Saturday, will review progress achieved so far on major ECO projects including the ECO Trade Agreement, the ECO Trade and Development Bank, in addition to the Transit Transport Framework Agreement and the feasibility study on interconnection of power systems of member states, said a press statement.
The ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) is expected to enter into force shortly, and it would lead to the establishment of a Free Trade Area in the region by 2015.
As ECO's coordinating country for ECOTA, Pakistan will seek early operations of the agreement, it said.
The ECO Trade and Development Bank has also made progress and it will commence its operations by end of 2007, it added.
The meeting will focus on establishment of an ECO wide power grid.Some ECO member states including Pakistan are deficient in electricity, while certain proximate states including Iran, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic generate surplus power, the statement said.
