SAARC summit opens, Afghan joins as new member

New Delhi, Apr 3: The 14th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) opened here today, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh delivering the inaugural address.

The two-day summit, which is being attended by its new member Afghanistan, 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.

Afghanistan is represented by President Hamid Karzai.

The summit would also have its focus on promotion of regional trade through the implementation 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 the 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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