SAARC becoming action oriented - Indian PM

The South Asian region has traversed a long distance since the formation of SAARC in the eighties, Indian Prime Minister Dr. manmohan Singh said in New Delhi yesterday.

"It is only by cooperating within SAARC that we will be able to strengthen ourselves individually and as a region and address the many common challenges that face us," he said.

He said they had agreed to move SAARC from a phase of declaration to a phase of implementation and action.

He cited examples such as the establishment of the SAARC Development Fund, the SAARC Food Bank, the proposal to establish a South Asian University and SAFTA.

"The forthcoming Summit will consolidate these gains and provide an impetus to the implementation of the many decisions that are in place."