Defeating terrorism is a must for development of South Asia: PM

New Delhi, Apr 3: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made an impassioned plea to SAARC nations to root out terrorism and announced far-reaching measures to promote regional trade, including opening up of Indian markets by allowing zero duty access by the end of this year to the least developed members of the regional grouping A ''primary requirement for the fulfillment of our vision of prosperity and cooperation in South Asia is peace. We should therefore implement in a meaningful and sincere manner the commitments and pledges to root out terrorism so as to create the atmosphere in which our endeavours can succeed,'' Dr Singh said in his inaugural address at the two-day 14th SAARC summit.

Announcing that India would open up its markets to its neighbours without insisting on reciprocity, the Prime Minister said zero-duty access would be allowed before the end of this year to the least developed countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives.

He also called for implementation of the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement for the success of the ongoing process of building an open and integrated market from the Himalayas to the Pacirif, covering a vast and dynamic economic region.

Dr Singh proposed that SAARC nations link their capitals through direct flights to promote connectivity, another main focus of the two-day summit.

Further, the dream of full regional connectivity would not be realised merely by building roads and railways. SAARC must commit to actually making the travel freer and easier.

''As an immediate step, India is announcing a unilateral liberalisation of visas for students, teachers, professors, journalists and patients from SAARC. Let us aim to double the intra-SAARC flow of tourists in the next five years,'' the Prime Minister said.

The 14th summit began with Dr Singh and six other heads of state and government signing a joint declaration, formally admitting Afghanistan as the eighth member of SAARC.

Earlier, all the eight leaders flagged off the SAARC car rally, which had started from Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh on March 15 and reached here after covering Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan. It would now proceed to Sri Lanka and conclude in the Maldives on April 14.

Handing over the Chairpersonship of the grouping to India, Bangladesh Chief Advisor Fakruddin Ahmed said Dr Singh was not only an outstanding economist but a visionary leader and statesman committed to peace and harmony and that he was confident that regional cooperation would gain momentum under India's leadership.

Bangladesh is the outgoing Chairperson of SAARC.

Dr Singh said SAARC nations were standing at ''a moment of opportunity.'' It was once said that positive expectations had a way of leading to positive outcomes. ''I believe that the time has come for SAARC to show that this indeed is so. Let us work together to make it happen,'' he said. He said South Asia was in the midst of an unprecedented political and economic transformation. The political transitions, painful as they may be, were something that each member had to work out for themselves, within their countries and between SAARC member governments.

''I see signs of hope that our governments are now addressing the bilateral political issues that have prevented us from achieving our potential. We must now make a break with the past and join hands to realise our shared destiny,'' Dr Singh said.

Today, there was also economic vibrancy and social change in every country in South Asia. Never before had it been truly within their capacity to envisage a future where their people were free of the twin curses of poverty and disease.

''It is possible today. It is here that SAARC has the real opportunity to realise the goals of our Charter: to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia (and) to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region.'' The two-day summit is expected.

UNI