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SAARC will contribute to lasting peace in Sub-continent - Foreign Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tyronne Fernando in his message stated that the progress of SAARC will contribute to lasting peace and security in the Sub-continent.

The message stated:

"Seventeen years ago, the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) came into being, at the Heads of State/Government Meeting in Dhaka, when leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka placed their signatures to the SAARC Charter.

"SAARC is an Association based, on the consciousness that in an increasingly interdependent world, the objectives of peace, freedom, social justice and economic prosperity are best achieved in the South Asian region by fostering mutual understanding, good neighbourly relations and meaningful cooperation among the Member States based on our common values and deep-rooted historical and cultural bonds from time immemorial. "The past seventeen years have witnessed the steady growth of SAARC and the Association has taken many important initiatives in areas of significance in regard to achieving the greater well-being of the peoples of the region.

These include measures to address the grave challenges of Terrorism and Drug Trafficking, which continue to pose a serious threat to the security and stability of Member States.

Further, the establishment of a South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA) is a major achievement for SAARC in regional economic cooperation. The details of a South Asian Free Trade Area are currently being finalized, as mandated by successive SAARC Summits. A significant achievement of SAARC is the growing people-to-people contacts and the networks of business people, professionals, artists and writers are creating inter-dependence and common interests in the region for mutual benefit.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is arranging a special day of activities to commemorate SAARC Charter Day 2002. This will include a meeting of all national focal points to review ongoing activities and assess our national interests to be pursued at the forthcoming 12th SAARC Summit in Islamabad.

A children's art exhibition has been organised on the most pressing issue of the day "Peace".

"While we in SAARC can look back with considerable satisfacti on of SAARC's achievements in the past seventeen years, much more needs to be done and Sri Lanka remains deeply committed to continued active participation in the SAARC process, in the hope that progress of SAARC will contribute to achieving lasting peace and security in the sub-continent."

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