Firm pledge to turn SAARC into instrument of development

DHAKA, Sunday (News Today) - All the seven SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) leaders have expressed their firm commitment to turn the SAARC into an instrument of development.

The SAARC leaders made this commitment while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day SAARC summit that began in the city on Saturday.

Underscoring the need for regional cooperation to turn South Asia into a prosperous region, leaders of 150 million people warned that this prospective region would be marginalised in the competitive world in the absence of cooperative efforts in the field of economic and social development.

The grand gala inaugural session of the 13th SAARC summit was held at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC).

The important events of the inaugural session were the election of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia as the chairperson of the SAARC and handing over of the SAARC'04 award. Late president Ziaur Rahman was given the award for his initiative to have the regional body SAARC.

Tareque Rahman, the eldest son of the late president received the award, which included a citation on the late Zia, a crest and a cheque of US$25,000.

Addressing the inaugural session newly elected SAARC chairperson and Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said: ``Let us make a fresh commitment during our present summit to unite our efforts to address the common challenges facing our nations, and to realise the aspirations of our peoples for a peaceful, progressive and prosperous South Asia''.

Pointing to the SAARC's failure to do justice to the initial blueprint for regional cooperation, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed India's unswerving commitment to the realisation of the solemn goals of the SAARC.

He said: ``As SAARC we must resolve to become a part of the ongoing transformations. The challenges we face as a region and as members of the larger international community are no longer susceptible to purely national solution, there is an imperative need to change and overcome the divisions of history and politics for forging a new architecture of mutually beneficial economic partnership''.

The immediate past SAARC chairperson and Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his inaugural speech said: ``We live in a transformed world where regional cooperation has become a powerful vehicle of peace, development and progress.

South Asia is yet to enter the mainstream of this world phenomenon. We remain mired in poverty and preoccupied with our differences and conflicts. We have not been able to leverage the full potential of SAARC''.

He pointed out to key impediments of SAARC's success. First, the political disputes and tensions in the region.

Second, while other Asian countries, specially those of the ASEAN, forged a closer and robust cooperation for development and positioned themselves to benefit from globalisation, SAARC has remained inward looking and shy of reaching out to other regional organisations and the world

He, however, noted that the political atmosphere between Pakistan and India had improved, and both the countries were engaged in a peace process to resolve disputes, which would have positive impact on the SAARC process of regional cooperation.

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in her speech said: "I have always believed in SAARC. I have believed in its tremendous potential to ensure the well-being of our citizens and to guarantee their freedoms -freedom from poverty, from ignorance, disease and fear''.

" Today I go with a strengthened belief in our Association. I know that SAARC would soon succeed in fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of its Peoples'', she said.

King of Nepal Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev said that the SAARC started its journey two decades ago and again SAARC summit is taking place in Dhaka to launch the third decade of journey and added ``let us take this opportunity to renew our profound commitment to the process of regional cooperation under SAARC and we believe that SAARC is the only forum to advance the cohesive voice of South Asia.''

All the leaders have also expressed their firm commitment to launch the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) from January 2006 to speed up the economic integration in the South Asian region.

The Indian Prime Minister proposed to the establishment of a SAARC High Economic Council to set out a road map for the creation of Economic Union by the year 2020. The Sri Lankan President proposed the Common market idea to facilitate the economic integration.

Leaders have also expressed their firm commitment to take joint action programme to address the poverty situation in the South Asia. Bangladesh Prime Minister proposed to declare 2006-2015 as SAARC decade of poverty eradication.

On the question of terrorism, leaders have vowed to combat terrorism unitedly. On this issue Khaleda Zia said: ``We are happy that in South Asia we are all united on combating terrorism and the ratification of an additional protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on terrorism would be effective to deal with the financing of terrorism''.

The Indian Prime Minister while urging for zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism said that no member country should allow its territory to be used against the interests of other member country.

The Nepal King strongly pleaded that terrorists should not get any shelter under the cover of ideology or particular belief.