SAARC Ministers call for

Pragmatic cooperation against terror

Coordinated approach to economic crisis

by Ananth PALAKIDNAR

The 31st session of the SAARC Council of Ministers reiterated their commitment in strengthening the SAARC and the global regime against terrorism and decided to establish a high level group of eminent experts to review and make proposals to further strengthen SAARC anti-terrorism mechanism, including pragmatic cooperation.

The Inter-Summit Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers was held in Colombo from February 23 to 28. Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama speaking to the press on the outcome of SAARC 31st session of the Council of Ministers at Hotel Inter Continental yesterday briefed the media on the two declarations adopted at the end of the session by the SAARC Council of Ministers on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism and on dealing with the Global Economic Crisis.

Briefing on the Declaration on `Cooperation in Combating Terrorism' Minister Bogollagama stated that the foreign ministers of member States of SAARC were deeply concerned about the continuing scourge of terrorism afflicting the region which has caused extensive social disharmony, loss of human life destruction and damage to property. The Declaration also assured its contribution towards the efforts in the UN General Assembly for the early adoption of the UN draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

The Declaration also called for supporting promotion of cooperation and exchange of information, consistent with the respective domestic legal and administrative regimes, improving immigration and customs control measures to detect and prevent the international movement of terrorists and their accomplices and trafficking in arms, narcotics and psychotropic substances or other materials, intended to support terrorism.

The Declaration on Global Economic Crisis expressed its concerns in the SAARC region of drying up credit and the contraction of financial markets. The Declaration called for a mechanism to be developed at creating bilateral arrangements in the region to address short term liquidity difficulties and to supplement international financial arrangements to face the crisis.

The Declaration also pointed out on the need of special stimulus packages for developing countries to cushion the impact of the financial crisis.

Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona and SAARC Secretary-General Dr. Sheel Kant Sharma also joined the Foreign Minister at the briefing.