The South Asia Free Trade Area agreement (SAFTA) Ministerial Council Meeting in Kathmandu today decided to reduce the list of sensitive products under the SAFTA negotiations by 20 percent with a view to maintaining a balance in the overall SAFTA Trade regime.Addressing a press conference after the ministerial meeting, Nepal's Commerce Minister and Chairman of the SAARC commerce ministerial council Mr. Rajendra Mahato said the meeting also decided to direct the Committee of Experts to finalize the Agreement on SAARC Trade in Services to be approved during the 16th SAARC Summit to be held in Bhutan in April 2010.Mahato said, the meeting has decided to give priority to tradable items while deciding about the sensitive list.A task force will be formed with the target to accomplish it within September 2010.The ministerial meeting also decided to reduce customs duty of the non-sensitive list by 30 percent to bring it to zero level. In this regard all the SAARC member countries are required to complete their internal exercise within December this year.Minister Mahato said the meeting is aimed at promoting intra-SAARC trade as well as uplifting the living standard of the people of the SAARC region.The SAFTA meeting was attended by seven ministers from SAARC countries and a senior official from Pakistan. From India, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma attended ministerial meeting. The next SAFTA Ministerial Council Meeting will be held in Maldives in 2010.