By Saadet Gokce
ISTANBUL (AA) - Bangladesh assumed chairmanship of the regional Bay of Bengal initiative for the next two years on Friday, while the leaders of the member countries adopted a Bangkok Declaration at the end of the three-day summit.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) adopted the Bangkok Vision 2030, aimed at regional development, as well as an Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, Bangkok-based daily The Nation reported.
Earlier, Myanmar's military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, attended the summit, while protesters carried a banner calling him a "murderer."
The summit also observed a minute of silence for the victims of the recent earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand.
Later, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said the summit did not address Myanmar’s internal political situation, saying Myanmar’s junta chief was invited according to BIMSTEC’s charter.
Bangkok has hosted the BIMSTEC summit from Wednesday to Friday. The group includes Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. It was established in 1997.