News
Friday, November 11, 2011
SAARC stresses more interaction, and people-to-people ties* Gilani emphasises need for coordination amongst SAARC members
* Singh announces trade incentives for member states
* Nasheed calls for need to build bridges
ADDU ATOLL: The 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, in its session held here on Thursday, emphasised the need to promote interaction, enhance connectivity and promote people-to-people relations among its member states for the benefit of region.
President of Maldives Mohammed Nasheed, being the host of the summit, was elected new chairman of SAARC till the next summit to be held in Nepal next year.
The president of Maldives received the chairmanship from the outgoing chairman, Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmey Thinley.
Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed, while welcoming the leaders of SAARC member states, said that there was a need to build bridges to enhance connectivity among the member states for the benefit of the people of the area.
He said that the member states should concentrate on promoting trade, economic and people-to-people relations for progress and prosperity in the region.
Mohammed Nasheed appreciated the contacts and improved relations between Pakistan and India and said that these improving ties boded well for SAARC and for the overall development in the region.
Referring to his meetings with other leaders of SAARC, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said that he found a collective commitment and desire among the member countries to give greater meaning and content to the SAARC.
He announced trade incentives for the member states and said that India had decided to reduce the sensitive list for the least developed countries under the South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement from 480 to 25 tariff lines.
He also presented the idea to reach a regional air service agreement to promote connectivity.
He also highlighted the efforts for Regional Railway Agreement and Motor Vehicle Agreement and urged other members to conclude these agreements.
He also announced to increase the number of SAARC Silver Jubilee.
Highlighting the importance of making SAARC a more vibrant organisation, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani emphasised the need for effective coordination among the member states.
The prime minister said that there was a need to bridge the gap between the promise of SAARC and the reality of its accomplishment needs.
Referring to the theme of the 17th SAARC Summit, “Building Bridges”, the prime minister said, “We should build on convergence, minimise divergences and, most of all, seek to augment complementarities for the greater good of the people of this region.”
Gilani said that Pakistan attached high importance to SAARC, adding that the association had come to epitomise the hopes and aspirations of the people of the region for peace, progress and prosperity.
He said that South Asia had the potential to become an important engine for global economic growth, adding that it had all the necessary ingredients in terms of human and natural resources to work the economic miracles of this century.
Gilani stated that the time had come for SAARC to lead the way in a historic transformation of the region by utilising its vast capabilities and building on the sure foundations of the great civilisation and heritage of its peoples.
He said that the theme “Building Bridges” reflected the common desire for promoting mutual understanding and reaching out to each other to create win-win scenarios and added that it resonated with SAARC’s avowed goal to enhance intra-regional connectivity by 2020.
The prime minister said, “The cultural affinity among our peoples is a huge asset.” Shared geography and history has culminated in a unique synthesis of culture and traditions, he added. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk