COLOMBO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of South Asian
nations wound up a two-day summit meeting here Sunday afternoon, pledging to
render more efforts to ensure food security and combat terrorism in the region.
During the 15th SAARC (South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation) Summit, which was held on Aug.2-3, heads of state or
government of eight SAARC member countries tried to chart a clearer path for the
bloc.
SAARC groups eight countries of South Asia, namely
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa
attends the concluding ceremony of the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Colombo August 3, 2008.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
FOOD SECURITY
CONCERN
Along with many issues discussed at the summit, food
security was one of the heated topics as the region has a population of about
1.5 billion population, or one fifth of the world population.
"Given the seriousness of the subject of food
security, we have felt that it deserves to be addressed through a special
statement," Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in his closing address
of the summit.
(L-R) Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shake hands as Maldives
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Prasad
Koirala and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani watch during the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit opening
ceremony in Colombo, August 2, 2008. The leaders of South Asia called for
fighting terrorism together as a regional summit overshadowed by worsening
ties between India and Pakistan, its biggest members, opened on
Saturday.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
In the Colombo Statement on Food Security, the SAARC
leaders affirmed their resolve to ensure the region-wide food security by
directing an extraordinary meeting of the agriculture ministers of the SAARC
member states later this year in New Delhi, India, to evolve and implement a
short to medium term regional strategy and collaborative projects.
"We direct that the SAARC Food Bank be urgently
operationalized," the SAARC leaders said in the statement. The idea of forming
the SAARC Food Bank is to store stocks for distribution in case of a particular
scarcity within the South Asian region.
"We further direct that SAARC region should forge
greater cooperation with the international community to ensure food availability
and nutrition security in South Asia," said the statement.
ENERGY
WORRIES
While racking their mind to ensure food supply for
the 1.5 billion people in the region, the booming demands for energy also posed
big challenge to the region.
The escalation of fuel prices has created problems to
sustain economic growth of South Asia while the rise in food prices has put
questions on the very livelihood of our people, Nepali Prime Minister Girija
Prasad Koirala said at the summit.
"Our vulnerability to these shocks is more than that
of many other countries," he noted.
Koirala's worries were widely seen among other SAARC
leaders, who noted in the Colombo Declaration that increased access to energy is
critical for fulfilling the legitimate expectations of growth and development in
South Asia.
"The escalation of oil prices threatens both the
energy security of the region, as well as the economic growth," said the
declaration.
SAARC leaders recognized in the declaration the need
to develop and conserve the conventional sources of energy and to build up
renewable alternative energy resources including indigenous hydro power, solar,
wind and bio while introducing energy reforms, energy efficiency and the trade
and sharing of technology and expertise.
ANTI-TERROR
DETERMINATION
The SAARC leaders also expressed deep concern over
the threat posed by terrorism to the peace of the region.
Addressing the closing session of the summit, Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa pointed out that terrorism had become a great
menace throughout the world including the South Asia.
"South Asia cannot progress, unless there is
stability and security throughout the region," Rajapaksa said, adding that the
summit endorsed the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters in
recognition of this reality.
It was agreed at the summit that the member states of
SAARC should firmly operate through the exchange of information on terrorism.
At least half of the SAARC member countries are
baffled with terrorist attacks. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani
said in his opening speech at the summit that each country in the region should
combat terrorism independently as well as collectively.
The leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthen
the legal regime against terrorism, according to the Colombo Declaration issued
by the summit.
"They emphasized the need for strongest possible
cooperation inthe fight against terrorism and trans-national organized crime
amongst the relevant agencies of the member states especially in the area of
information exchange," said the declaration.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutanese Prime
Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley, Bangladeshi Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed, Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nepali
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gillani and Sri Lankan President Mahinha Rajapaksa attended the 15th SAARC
Summit.
Representatives from China, the European Union, Iran,
Japan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and the United States also participated in
the 15th SAARC Summit as observers.
The summit decided to move the 16th SAARC to the
Maldivian capital Male next year.
