The two-day intergovernmental meeting of SAARC countries concluded in Dhaka today with the representatives of the eight member states finalising the draft of the SAARC Charter of Democracy. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes who chaired the two day meeting said that we have built an excellent foundation of democratic commitment in the South Asian region by adopting a clean draft of the charter on democracy. He said the draft upholds the SAARC's spirit of protecting and strengthening democracy at the national and regional levels. He, however, declined to divulge further details saying that the draft will be further discussed at the meetings of SAARC foreign secretaries and foreign ministers before being finally adopted by the head of the states or governments at the next SAARC summit scheduled to take place in Maldives next year. The Leaders of SAARC countries had endorsed Bangladesh’s proposal to formulate the SAARC Charter of Democracy in the 36 point Thimphu Silver Jubilee Declaration issued at the end of the summit in Bhutan this year.