We should fight terrorism individually, collectively - Pakistani
PM
The speech by Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the 15th
SAARC Summit on Saturday in Colombo
The SAARC Charter bestows upon us the onerous responsibility to
promote the welfare of the people of South Asia. The theme of the
Summit, partnership for growth for our people is a welcome reminder of
our joint responsibility to place people at the center of the SAARC
process.
No society can realise its full potential without improving the
socio-economic conditions of its people. We must follow a comprehensive
approach, paying urgent attention to poverty alleviation.
We must also take steps to ensure full implementation of the SAARC
Social Charter and the SAARC Conventions on Women and Children. Economic
development of South Asia is contingent upon assured and inexpensive
availability of energy. The contemporary global fossil fuel crisis has
exacerbated the need for the South Asia region to look for alternate
energy sources.
We must harness the region’s indigenous energy potential,
particularly solar, wind, biomass and hydro energy. We should also
envisage a network of intra-regional and trans-regional oil and gas
pipelines. Within SAARC, an enabling environment for regional energy
cooperation can be facilitated by concluding a regional framework
agreement on energy cooperation.
The SAARC region is blessed with rich natural resources. A fifth of
humankind lives here. We have a vast pool of talent. We have fertile
lands and developed irrigation systems. Our societies are agrarian. We
export agro based products to the world. Yet, the region faces food
shortages from time to time. Sadly, the region has to look to the
outside world for its food security. We must address this issue on
priority.
We should share and learn from best practices in the region and
beyond, modernize our irrigation systems, use appropriate technology,
and expand our agricultural research and resource base.
Let us make South Asia the granary of the world. The contemporary
global food crisis has underscored the need for SAARC countries to
develop a comprehensive regional strategy to ensure food security. This
is our common responsibility to the people of South Asia. Together with
other Asian countries, we should consider launching a Greater Asia Food
Security Programme.
Pakistan supports greater regional economic cooperation. In the last
two decades, SAARC has made considerable progress in this area,
including SAFTA. We must enable these arrangements to deliver real
dividends and create a win-win situation for all.
Towards this end, a number of steps can be taken including trade
facilitation measures, elimination of non-tariff barriers, reduction of
sensitive lists of member states, and strengthening of the existing
transportation and communication links across the region.
Closer cooperation in the area of finance and banking is essential to
promote economic and commercial cooperation in the region. Under the
mechanism of SAARC Finance, the Governors of the Central Banks of the
Member States can make solid contribution to improve macro-economic
policy coordination.
The SAARC Development Fund (SDF) could underwrite financial support
for important development projects of mutual benefit to SAARC members.
The arteries of transport and communications have enriched this region.
As we attempt to connect our region anew, a people-centred approach
can ensure the success of our endeavours. The rich civilizational and
cultural heritage of the people of South Asia is our shared pride.
Our arts and craft, cultural traditions, diverse landscape, and
magnificent historical monuments are our invaluable assets. We must give
priority to promoting tourism, including religious and third country
tourism, in our region.
Another pressing issue for SAARC is to enhance cooperation in the
field of environment. In this regard, the Dhaka Declaration of the SAARC
Environment Ministers is a welcome step.
We must take appropriate measures to preserve our environment,
including the glaciers of Himalayas and Karakorum, which are the largest
source of fresh water in the region. We must also encourage a move
towards project-based cooperation under SAARC. The focus should be on
implementing regional and sub-regional projects in the agreed priority
areas.
Each Member State could take one or two projects as the lead country.
We may also involve SAARC Observers and other international development
institutions in these efforts. Public-private sector collaboration
should also be another venue to achieve our development objectives.
The world is facing today the menace of extremism and terrorism,
which has challenged our entire value system and impacted our
socio-economic development. Though Pakistan has suffered the most,
terrorism afflicts all countries of our region. It is our joint
responsibility to rid our region of this scourge. We need to fight
terrorism individually as well as collectively.
The forthcoming meetings of the SAARC Police Chiefs and Home/Interior
Ministers in Islamabad later this year should focus on strengthening
regional cooperation against terrorism. We welcome the finalisation of
the text of the SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal
Matters.
In an interdependent, fast globalising world, no regional grouping
can hope to function in isolation. SAARC should develop positive links
with the adjoining regions and beyond. We must adopt an inclusive
approach.
We should be open to mutually beneficial interactions, especially
with our larger Asian neighbourhood. Such linkages and interdependencies
would create a win-win support system.
I take this opportunity to extend a very warm welcome to the
representatives of the SAARC Observers present here in this meeting.A We
look forward to their valued contribution towards SAARC programmes,
activities and projects.
We also welcome the interest expressed by Australia and Myanmar to be
associated with our organisation as Observers. As we seek to evolve
modalities to associate observers with the work of the organisation, we
should consider the option of granting dialogue partnership status to
those observer states which wish to deepen their relationship with SAARC
for mutual benefits.
SAARC has to its credit some notable achievements. We can justifiably
take pride in the progress we have made thus far. However, we cannot be
complacent. We must recognise in all candidness that the gap between the
promise of SAARC and the reality of its accomplishment remains wide. We
need concerted efforts to build on areas of convergence.
Let us minimize divergences and augment complementarities for the
greater good of the people of this region. Pakistan for its part will
spare no effort to translate the vision of the SAARC Charter into a
reality.
Greater economic integration is inextricably linked to the creation
of requisite political climate of peace and stability.A SAARC meetings
provide a good opportunity not only to deepen trust and understanding
but also create the enabling environment for resolution of political
disputes and outstanding issues.
We believe that the imperatives of South Asia’s socio-economic
development demand greater political commitment to build on convergences
and resolve our differences. Pakistan and India are engaged in a peace
process.
Since the induction of elected government in Pakistan, the peace
process has registered noteworthy progress. Success of the process will
augur well for the region and SAARC. It is time to place people at the
center of the SAARC processes. Our people are our greatest strength.
If SAARC becomes relevant to the lives of our people, we could be
assured of our success. As we look ahead, let the Colombo Summit be
remembered as the turning point in SAARC’s history.
Let this summit infuse new dynamism in SAARC. Let us pledge to lay a
solid foundation of mutual cooperation and trust. I am confident that
the Colombo Summit would provide a fresh impetus to reinvigorating
regional cooperation in South Asia. |