Khar calls for strengthening intra-regional economic cooperation

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has stressed for strengthening intra-regional economic cooperation in important areas of trade and commerce‚ infrastructure connectivity and energy among the ECO countries. She was speaking at the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting ahead of the ECO Summit in Baku. The Summit provides a platform to discuss ways to promote trade and investment opportunities among the member countries. The common objective of the member countries is to establish a single market for goods and services on the pattern of European Union. She said this was essential to come up to the hopes and aspirations of the people of the region. She said ECO Trade and Transit Transport Framework Agreement should be translated into effective vehicles for regional economic integration. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar also met Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan‚ Iran‚ Turkey and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the meeting and exchanged views on recent developments in the region. Matters relating to Economic Cooperation Organization also came under discussion.