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Bangladesh, one of the LDCs-4, meeting G-8 |
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July 14, 2000
Dhaka (UNB) - Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad yesterday called upon the G-8 countries to accord duty free and quota free market access to all products from LDCs. He stressed this point at a breakfast meeting in Miyazaki, Japan of the Foreign Ministers of G-8 countries and the Foreign Ministers of NAM Troika -- Columbia, South Africa and Bangladesh -- and the G-77 Chair, the Foreign Minister of Nigeria. According to a message received here, the breakfast was hosted by the Chair of the G-8 Foreign Ministers, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono of Japan. Italy, Germany, the UK, Canada, Russia and France were represented by their respective Foreign Ministers. Deputy Secretary of the State represented the US. The breakfast meeting represents the highest forum for close interaction between developing countries and major developed countries. Azad also urged that efforts be focussed on areas where action was possible and progress a matter of priority. Such an approach, he said, would be to the advantage of all. He also identified specific areas for action such as FDIs and other private financial flows, debt relief schemes for LDCs, the need to meet longstanding UN targets and commitments on ODA, the need for greater coherence and consistency on part of international institutions in support of development and the involvement of target countries, particularly LDCs in decision making processes. Azad called upon the private sector particularly transnational to take a more enlightened approach to LDCs and expressed confidence that tangible results would emerge from the third UN Conference on LDCs to be held next year. The Foreign Minister called for a timebound target for poverty eradication and diligent efforts for better governance at national and global levels. On July 12, he along with the leaders of delegations of NAM Troika and the Chair of G-77 had a separate meeting with the Chair of G-8 Foreign Ministers. The same evening delegations of NAM Troika and G-77 met over dinner to discuss issues to be raised with G-8 Foreign Ministers. After the breakfast meeting he had a brief and separate exchanges with Foreign Ministers of G-8 delegations. |