PM wants SAARC to win war against extremism

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Apr 4: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today appealed to SAARC nations to win the war against all forms of extremism and intolerance in the region, observing that South Asia was about to fulfill the promise and vision of the regional grouping.

In his closing remarks at the two-day 14th SAARC Summit here, Dr Singh said,''I pledge to work sincerely under the able guidance and cooperation of the leaders of South Asia to make the year ahead a turning point in the history of SAARC.'' He said the touchstone of the efforts to reinvigorate SAARC would be to make the difference to the lives of the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak.

''To win this war (against poverty, ignorance and disease), we must work together. We must resolve our differences, and we must enhance regional cooperation. We must also win the war against all forms of extremism and intolerance in our region,'' he said.

Pointing to the immense creative potential of the people of the region, he said South Asia would march forward in confidence and in peace ''if we invest in their capabilities and create an environment in which these capabilities bear fruit''.

He said the agreements to operationalise the SAARC Development Fund, set up the South Asian University and create a SAARC Food Bank showed that the member countries were ready for a transformation of SAARC into an effective instrument of regional advancement.

He said the SAARC members had agreed to make tangible progress in the next six months on four issues affecting people's daily lives-water (including flood control), energy, food and the environment.

''We will work with international agencies to develop and implement viable cross-border regional projects in these four sectors.'' Describing the Declaration adopted today as ''comprehensive and forward-looking'', he said it gave SAARC a wider mandate to promote peace and development in the region, including through greater connectivity-in trade, in the movement of people and through the flow of ideas.

He welcomed the induction of Afghanistan as the eighth member of the grouping and said the forum also had the privilege of welcoming five Observers for the first time.

''This manifests our common desire for SAARC to be outward looking and engaged with the world community-to be a springboard for exploiting the vast physical and intellectual resources of South Asia,'' he said.

UNI

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