KATHMANDU, Jan 6: The Saarc nations here on Sunday resolved to promote mutual trust and understanding; peace, stability and amity; and accelerated socio-economic cooperation.
In a declaration adopted and issued at the conclusion of the two-day Saarc summit, the member states reaffirmed their commitment to fostering good neighbourly relations, relieving tensions and building confidence.
The leaders of the seven nations agreed to the vision of a phased and planned process eventually leading to a South Asian economic union.
They asked Saarc Secretary-General to finalize a regionally agreed investment framework to meet investment needs of the member states.
They also underlined the need to take measures to promote South Asia as a common tourist destination by upgrading infrastructure, air linkages, simplification and harmonization of administrative procedures and joint marketing.
The heads of state and government expressed their firm resolve to combat the problem of poverty with a new sense of urgency.
They pledged to undertake effective and sustained poverty alleviation programmes. They decided to focus on rural micro-credit programmes for women and disadvantaged, widening opportunities for gainful employment and reconstituted the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation.
They reiterated the need for an early finalization of the Saarc social charter which should include the important areas of poverty eradication, population stabilization, the empowerment of women, youth mobilization, human resources development, the promotion of health and nutrition and the protection of children.
The Saarc leaders expressed their collective resolve to treat trafficking in women and children as a criminal offence of a serious nature. They recognized the need to actively pursue and promote social development through empowerment of women and to achieve their full participation in decision-making at all levels.
They reaffirmed their commitment to uplift the social status of the people in the region and accord highest priority to promoting social development through specific and targeted programmes.
In the education sector, the leaders instructed the ministries of the governments concerned to devise appropriate strategies for raising the quality of education through the exchange of information among the universities in the region.
They reiterated their firm support for the principles and purposes of the United Nations in order to create a just, balanced and equitable world order.
They affirmed their commitment to continue working with the NAM and other like-minded countries for the reform and democratization of the United Nations system with a view to making it an effective and more democratic institution for international peace, sincerity, progress and cooperation.
The leaders underscored their commitment to general and complete disarmament, including nuclear disarmament on a universal basis, under effective international control.
They called upon all nuclear weapon states to engage constructively through a transparent and credible process of negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament.
They reiterated that the real protection of small states should be firmly rooted in the scrupulous adherence to the UN charter, the rule of law and the strict adherence to universally-accepted principles and norms related to sovereign rights and territorial integrity of all states irrespective of size.
The Heads of state and government were convinced that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a challenge to all states and to all of humanity. They emphasised the need for the urgent conclusion of a comprehensive convention on combating international terrorism. They also emphasised that international cooperation to combat terrorism should be conducted in conformity with the UN Charter, international law and relevant international conventions.
They reiterated their support to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 and affirmed their determination to redouble efforts to prevent and suppress terrorism. The leaders reaffirmed that the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations has to be comprehensive and sustained.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the promotion of mutual trust and understanding and that a process of informal consultations would prove useful in this regard. They underlined the importance of informal political consultations in promoting mutual understanding and reinforcing the confidence-building process among the member states.
They underlined the urgent need to make the South Asian Development Fund operational by making utilization of the existing funds. They were in agreement that the summit and all other meetings of Saarc needed to be made more business-like and result-oriented.—APP