Priority for combating terror, spurring development

Infrastructure Fund mooted,cross border trade to be enhanced:

Manjula Fernando in New Delhi

INDIA: The 14th SAARC summit concluded with the leaders committing for progress on cross border projects to address issues of water, energy, food and environment on a priority agenda, besides speedy action for a comprehensive convention on International Terrorism, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said yesterday.

Wrapping up the regional groupings main session at the Vigyan Bhawan, the new SAARC Chair, Singh, said “We have agreed to make tangible progress in the next six months on four issues which affect the daily lives of our people”.

He said SAARC will work with international agencies to develop and implement viable cross-border regional projects in these four sectors.

The Summit also marked the operationalisation of the SAARC Development Fund, establishment of the South Asian University, create a SAARC Food Bank to ensure food security in the region and setting up of a SAARC Arbitration Council to promote cross-border trade.

He said the declaration adopted gives SAARC a wider mandate to promote peace and development through greater connectivity.

The year 2008 was designated as SAARC year of Good Governance.

He said the touchstone of their efforts to reinvigorate the regional body must be the difference they make in the lives of the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak, as the eight nation block represents the highest concentration of poor and illiterate in the world.

The Foreign Ministers of the eight countries signed two agreements for the setting up of the university and the SAARC Food Bank before posing for a group photograph with the Leaders.

Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee addressing reporters at a follow-up press conference at the same venue said, India has offered its commitment of US $ 100 million for the SDF for poverty alleviation in the region.

In response to a question what the difference of this year’s summit, at a time the group has been criticised for lack of action, Mukherjee said the SAFTA was the most successful outcome while, commitments to tougher implementation of laws under different conventions towards combating and blocking terrorist activities could be termed as outstanding achievements.

Mukherjee said India was ready to issue free visas to journalists under the SAARC visa scheme as soon as the countries make their requests.