Implement pledges to root out terrorism: PM

New Delhi, Apr 3: Asking SAARC to implement their commitments and pledges to root out terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced liberalisation of the visa regime and a duty-free access to the South Asian neighbours before the end of this year. India would liberalise visa procedures for teachers, professors and patients, Dr Singh said in his inaugural address at the 14th SAARC summit.

Announcing unilateral trade liberalisation under SAFTA, the Prime Minister said India was ready to accept ''asymmetrical responsibility'' without insisting on reciprocity.

''I am happy to announce today that we will allow duty-free access to India before the end of this year to our'' South Asian neighbours. For the least developed members like Bangladesh and Bhutan, the sensitive list of goods would be reduced further, he said.

Dr Singh also proposed connecting the capitals of the SAARC member countries through direct flights and doubling of intra-SAARC tourism in the next five years.

Dr Singh said SAARC should also set up a South Asian Energy Community and harmonise the systems and methods and the grid structure and ultimately move on to energy exchange under a common energy market, promoting appropriate technology for harnessing renewable energy. As a first step towards ensuring food security, SAARC should have a regional food bank to meet shortages and losses caused by natural calamities, he said.

SAARC should step out of the declaratory phase and get into real cooperation and implementation of its charter, he said.

There was no reason why the eight-member grouping should not translate its charter into reality. But ''the primary requirement for prosperity and cooperation is peace. We should therefore implement the commitments and pledges to root out terrorism'' so as to create a conducive atmosphere for the success of the grouping's endeavours, Dr Singh said.

The summit began with the heads of state or government of the seven founding members signing a joint declaration, formally admitting Afghanistan as the regional grouping's eighth member. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai then shook hands with other leaders on the dais. Mr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, outgoing Chairman of the grouping, then invited Dr Singh to take over as the Chairperson of SAARC. He said Dr Singh was not only an outstanding economist, but a visionary leader and statesman committed to peace, harmony and cooperation.

Mr Ahmed said he was confident that regional cooperation would gain momentum under India's leadership.

The two-day summit is expected to issue a strong statement on terrorism, expressing SAARC's determination to collectively fight the menace which has affected all the eight members.

The summit would also have its focus on promotion of regional trade through operationalisation of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, which is expected to cover trade and services.

China, Japan, Korea, the European Union and the United States are attending the summit as observers lending greater importance to the gathering.

Iran is certain to be accorded observer status during the summit as the Council of Ministers held yesterday has recommended it to the Heads of State or Government.

Besides Dr Singh and Mr Karzai, the summit is being attended by Prime Ministers Girija Prasad Koirala of Nepal, Khandu Wangchuk of Bhutan and Shaukat Aziz of Pakistan, Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives and Mahinda Rajapakse of Sri Lanka, besides SAARC Secretary General Lyonpo Chenkyab Dorji.

The Observers are represented by Foreign Ministers Li Zhaoxing of China, Taro Aso of Japan and Song Min Soon of South Korea, German Ambassador here Bernd Mutzelburg (EU) and Mr Richard Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs.

UNI

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