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PR. No.229/2008

Date: 28/07/2008    

FOREIGN MINISTER TO REPRESENT PAKISTAN IN THE 30 TH SESSION OF THE SAARC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Foreign Minister, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be visiting Sri Lanka to participate in the 30t h Session of SAARC Council of Ministers being held in Colombo on 31 July to 1 st August 2008 . The meeting of the Council of Minister will be followed by 15 th SAARC Summit in which the Prime Minister of Pakistan will lead Pakistan 's delegation.

2. The Council of Ministers is the second highest decision making forum of SAARC, next to SAARC Summit. It is composed of the Foreign Ministers of the SAARC Member States , and generally meets twice a year.

3. The Council of Ministers will review the progress on the implementation of the decisions taken by the 14 th SAARC Summit held in New Delhi in April 2007, and give further direction to SAARC on various issues of common interest. Besides, the Foreign Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mr. Rohitha Bogollagama as well as other participating SAARC Foreign Ministers.

4. Pakistan attaches great importance to SAARC and has been playing a proactive role to make the forum an effective vehicle for regional cooperation. Our cooperation and partnership within the SAARC framework is based on sound foundations of shared values and common aspirations for economic growth and social development with the aim to improving the welfare and quality of life of the people of South Asia . We have made substantial contribution towards all SAARC processes and taken a number of initiatives for the realization of its objectives.

5. The Foreign Minister will also accompany the Prime Minister to 15th SAARC Summit to be held in Colombo from 2-3 August 2008.

Islamabad

28 July 2008