14th SAARC summit concludes

April 4, 2007
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The 14th SAARC summit concluded in the Indian capital New Delhi by adopting a 30-point declaration on Wednesday.

Participated by the heads of government and states of eight member countries and five observers – USA, China, European Union, Japan and South Korea – the two-day summit extensively discussed the pertaining issues including poverty, trade and terrorism.

In his concluding remark, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said the Delhi Declaration adopted by the SAARC summit gave a wider mandate to promote peace and development in the region through greater connectivity – in trade, in the movement of people and through the flow of ideas.

“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,” Singh said, describing the signing of the declaration as “comprehensive and forward-looking”.

The Declaration includes decisions to establish SAARC Development Fund; South Asian University; SAARC Food Bank and set up the SAARC Arbitration Council. The summit also decided to designate the year 2008 as the ‘SAARC Year of Good Governance’.

“The cooperation and accommodation that have characterised our deliberations and negotiations show that our countries are ready for a transformation of SAARC into an effective instrument of regional cooperation,” the Indian Prime Minister said.

The 15th SAARC summit will be held in Maldives.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala led the Nepali delegation to the summit. Minister for Foreign Affairs Sahana Pradhan and Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat are accompanying Koirala in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Koirala held bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Dr Singh, Bhutanese PM Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher and is scheduled to meet with other top delegates of the SAARC nations on the sidelines of the summit.