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KATHMANDU, Jan 5 (AFP) - The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit opened in Nepal yesterday, one day behind schedule and after two years of delays, with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and arch-rival Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf in attendance.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the outgoing chair of SAARC opened the summit as the leaders of the seven members of the regional bloc sat in alphabetical order at a front table.

Nepalese children offered Hindu prayers for peace, after which Kumaratunga requested a moment of silence for Nepal's king Birendra, who was slain with nine other members of the royal family in June.

Musharraf and Vajpayee, both wearing traditional South Asian long shirts, were seated with three leaders in between them.

Vajpayee who ruled out any talks with Musharraf on the sidelines of the summit, urged South Asian leaders to "tackle terrorism together" and indirectly blamed arch rival Pakistan for stalling anti-terrorism efforts.

Vajpayee said updating and strengthening a 1987 regional convention on suppressing terrorism would provide a framework for cooperation and would be a powerful "confidence building measure".

In a clear reference to Pakistan, Vajpayee said that "some countries" had failed to take action to give effect to the 1987 anti-terrorism convention adopted here in Kathmandu.

"We in South Asia have to recognise that our cooperative future will be significantly influenced by the way in which we can tackle terrorism together," Vajpayee said.

SAARC diplomats said the closing declaration will symbolically back the UN resolutions and regulations on freezing assets of foreign terrorist organisations.

Diplomats said SAARC officials were also expected to meet in Colombo, probably by April, to work out details of implementing anti-terrorism measures within the region.

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