Diplomatic sources said the foreign ministers were however focused on resolving the disputes between India and Pakistan over the South Asia Free Trade Area's (Safta) becoming operational.

Bhutanese Foreign Minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Indian State Minister for External Affairs E Ahamed, the Maldives State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdullah Shahid, Nepal's Foreign Minister KP Sharma Oli, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta attended the informal meeting held at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

The Council of Ministers, which will sit formally today, also considered various recommendations made by the Saarc Standing Committee that concluded its meeting yesterday.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin, who chaired the two-day Standing Committee meeting, told reporters they endorsed the Saarc budget for $1.90 million and the Saarc secretary general's report.

He said the Standing Committee stressed the need for ratification and implementation of three trade related agreements -- customs cooperation, arbitration and avoidance of double taxation -- signed at the Dhaka summit.

The foreign secretary said the Standing Committee considered to hold Saarc Trade Fair and publish the reports on Saarc Social Charter and Multi-modal Transport Study.

The Standing Committee, comprising the foreign secretaries of Saarc member states, also considered the Conventions of Suppression of Terrorism and Additional Protocol and Narcotic Drugs.

It stressed the need for enacting necessary legislation by member states to implement these conventions.

Hemayetuddin said the committee spent a lot of time to prepare its report over the dispute of India and Pakistan on Safta being operational. However, the report was prepared by containing separate observations of India and Pakistan on Safta.

The committee also considered the holding of Saarc Car Rally and decided to form an organising committee for coordination of the event to be held before the 14th summit in India likely next year. The first meeting of the organising committee will be hosted by India.

On issuance of Saarc visa, Hemayetuddin said the Standing Committee decided to hold a meeting of the Immigration Officials immediately to resolve certain problems in issuing Saarc stickers to certain category of people travelling the member states.

The meeting was attended by Bhutan's Foreign Secretary Yeshey Dorji, Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, the Maldives Deputy Minister Ms Aminath Mohammed Didi, Nepal's Foreign Secretary Bhagirath Basnet, Pakistani Foreign secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan, Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary HMGS Palihakkara and Afghanistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmoud Saikal.