PM leaves for Colombo to attend SAARC Summit

New Delhi, Aug 1 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today left for Sri Lanka Capital Colombo on a two-day visit to attend the 15th SAARC Summit.

On the sidelines of the two-day Summit, Dr. Singh is likely to meet his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gillani on Saturday.

In his departure statement last evening, Dr. Singh said that in the 23 years since SAARC was established, the South Asian region has traversed a long distance.

"Today, there is a realization amongst SAARC countries that it is only by cooperating within SAARC that we will be able to strengthen ourselves individually and as a region and address the many common challenges that face us," he said.

"At the 14th SAARC Summit in New Delhi, we had agreed to move SAARC from a phase of declaration to a phase of implementation and action. As part of this approach, several initiatives have been taken, notably the establishment of the SAARC Development Fund, the SAARC Food Bank, the proposal to establish a South Asian University, SAFTA and greater people-to-people contacts," the Prime Minister added.

"I am confident that the forthcoming Summit will consolidate these gains and provide an impetus to the implementation of the many decisions that are in place," he added.

Dr. Singh also said that he is looking forward to hold discussions with President Mahinda Rajapakse on India and Sri Lanka relations as well as hold bilateral meetings with the other leaders of the SAARC countries.

Issues relating to terrorism, food security, fuel hike will be high on the agenda of the two-day meet, being held amidst unprecedented security.

Emphasizing the need for a "collective action" among the SAARC countries to tackle the menace, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna yesterday said that the Kabul attack "underlines how vulnerable" South Asia is as far as terrorism is concerned.

He also said that there is a need to have crime-free atmosphere to ensure growth.

ANI