Pranab concerned over poor connectivity among SAARC nations

Mumbai, Feb 17 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today expressed concern over poor connectivity among the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.

Inaugurating the second SAARC Business Leaders Conclave here today, Mr Mukherjee said, ''Connectivity implies several things -- physical connectivity, economic connectivity and a connectivity of people and ideas.'' The provision of transit facilities, access to roads, railways, waterways and increased air connectivity are all its elements, he said.

However, he added that as India prepares to take over the chairmanship of the South Asian grouping, ''we would like to move this idea forward in all its aspects.'' Referring to the speech delivered by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the first SAARC Business Leaders Conclave meeting in November last year, he said, ''There is need for reconnecting the countries of the sub-continent on the one hand and then reconnecting the continent to the larger Asian neighbourhood on the other.

'' It is for this reason that the SAARC countries are organising a car rally as a curtain raiser to the 14th summit which was merely a couple of months away from now,'' he said.

Mr Mukherjee also noted that South Asia was the least integrated region in the world. ''It is ironical that while South Asia has made significant progress in integrating with the global economy, its integration within the region remains limited,'' he said.

Restrictions on free movement of goods and people within the region meant that intra-regional trade is the lowest in South Asia, he said. Poor connectivity and concerns about security have all contributed to South Asia being the least integrated region in the world, he reasoned.

Suggesting solutions for the connectivity related problems, Mr Mukherjee said, ''An important aspect of economic connectivity is free trade in the region''. He urged a smooth and complete implementation of SAFTA.

The SAARC Multimodal Transport study has given important uggestions which should be carried forward, he said.

Earlier, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh hoped that most favoured nation (MFN) status would be provided to all the SAARC nations in the days to come.

He assured that India would remove the ''non-tariff barrier'' for all the SAARC countries in near future.

While noting that India does not allow FDI to countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, he hoped this barrier, too, would soon be removed. He stressed the need for co-operation among all the SAARC countries on issues related to water, energy and environment.

UNI