Observers favour cooperation with SAARC

New Delhi, Apr 3: China, European Union (EU), Japan and South Korea, which attented the 14th SAARC Summit as Observers here today, evinced keen interest in having cooperation with South Asia in diverse fields including trade and environment ptotection.

Representatives of the Observer countries in separate statements at the inaugural session of the Summit, expressed happiness at being associated with SAARC and stressed the need for joint efforts for development and peace in the region.

The four countries, and the US, for the first time attended the Summit as Observers.

China expressed readiness to have a regular meeting mechanism with SAARC for cooperation on disaster management, poverty alleviation, energy and infrastructure development.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who represented his country at the Summit, said his country was also ready to host a workshop this year for SAARC officials on poverty alleviation policies.

He said China would also encovrage its enterprises to invest in SAARC countries and proposed to institutionalise the China-South Asia Business Forum so that it can serve as a platform for discussion on economic cooperation and trade.

He said China would invite SAARC countries to attend multilateral training programmes and would consider bilateral training programmes for SAARC countries.

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said the European Commission was ready to share expertise and experience in all areas of interest to SAARC and in the implementation of SAFTA.

''We realise that by working together more effectively, we can better fulfil our potential and contribute to solving regional and global issues,'' she added.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said that Japan-SAARC cooperation was in line with Japan's policy of creating an 'Arc of Freedom and Prosperity.' He said Japan had put in an additional seven million dollars into the SAARC-Japan Special Fund.

He pledged more cooperation between Japan and SAARC to achieve better regional connectivity.

South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-Soon said his country was ready to share its experience in ICT, government innivation, human resource development and other areas in economic field in which both could collaborate to mutual benefit.

There was no formal statement from the US.

UNI