Thaindian News

Islamabad, Nov 8 (IANS) Greater cooperation among regional countries is crucial for their development and prosperity, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said at a meet in Russia where he called for steps to start the Iran-Pakistan-India gas line.

Gilani Monday stressed for enhancing trade, energy and road links while addressing the 10th meeting of Heads of Government Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Russian city of St Petersburg.

He proposed a five-point development plan based on the SCO-sponsored intra-regional and inter-regional cooperation in trade, building infrastructure and power links, reported Associated Press of Pakistan

The development plan included arranging finance and initiation of work on electricity transmission lines, taking concrete measures to start TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) and Iran-Pakistan-India gas line projects, setting up a preferential and if possible a free trade zone in the SCO region, cooperation in the financial and banking sectors, and relaxation of visa regimes for diplomats, officials and businessmen.

The prime minister said Pakistan attached importance to the SCO and believed it had the capacity and resolve to overcome the most pressing challenges of times.

He added that the SCO had the enormous potential to promote regional economic cooperation in a holistic manner.

He said pervasive global economic and financial crisis, unemployment and socio-economic stress were making the picture bleak. He said though daunting but these challenges could be surmounted by developing a cohesive response based on clarity and firm conviction for working together.

SCO is a regional security organisation.

Founded in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan holds the observer status along with Mongolia, India and Iran whereas Sri Lanka and Belarus have been granted the status of dialogue partners.