Title : Statement regarding 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka from 12-13 November, 2005 and laid copy of Dhaka Declaration.
Thirteenth SAARC Summit, held on 12-13 November, 2005
in Dhaka
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED): Sir, I want to read the statement.
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, can you allow the Minister to read the statement?
SHRI E. AHAMED: I would like to read it. I would take only two or three minutes as it is on a very important matter.
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, please cooperate. He wants to read the statement because it is on an important matter.
SHRI E. AHAMED: It is in continuation of events of the previous Government and the present Government.
*The Thirteenth SAARC Summit took place in Dhaka from November 12-13, 2005. India participated actively in both the preparations for the Summit as well as in its deliberations at Dhaka. The major achievements of the Summit are in consonance with India’s objectives and provide new opportunities to further the process of regional economic integration in South Asia.
Members are aware that India has long argued that if South Asia is to become a dynamic component of the larger process of regional cooperation and globalization that is taking place in the world, it must first bring about economic integration amongst the member countries, as an essential pre-requisite. Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh put forward a bold new vision of a SAARC, which is interconnected, where political divisions do not stand in the way of the free
*Also placed in Library, See No.L.T.2902/2005.
movement of peoples, goods and services and ideas, across our region. In this context, he offered, on a reciprocal basis, transit facilities to all countries of the region and also greater air connectivity through a virtual open skies arrangement. India took the lead in drafting a strong political message that there should be no delay in the operationalisation of the SAFTA (South Asia Free Trade Area) Agreement.
Members would also be aware that India had taken a strong initiative to ensure the entry of Afghanistan as a new member of SAARC. The consenus decision taken by the SAARC Heads of State and Government to welcome Afghanistan as SAARC’s eighth member is a major success for Indian diplomacy. With Afghanistan’s entry, SAARC has acquired a more complete regional identity, and a country with which India has traditionally close and friendly relations is now a part of SAARC.
The Summit noted the renewed interest of other regional and international organizations, bodies and entities to cooperate with SAARC in fields of mutual interest. India has welcomed the interest shown by China as well as Japan to be associated with SAARC as Observers. We would welcome similar association with other interested countries as well. It has been agreed that the Council of Ministers will decide the modalities in this regard in their 27th meeting to be held in July 2006.
Members would be happy to know that India’s offer for hosting the SAARC Centre for Disaster Management and Preparedness has been welcomed and accepted by the Summit. This is an important development, considering the extensive loss of life and property due to natural disasters such as the Tsunami and earthquakes, which have affected our region during the past one year. There was a clear recognition that we need a permanent regional response mechanism dedicated to disaster preparedness, emergency relief and rehabilitation. India’s record and demonstrated capabilities in this regard helped in ensuring the success of our proposal to host the Centre in India. This Centre will be closely associated with the National Institute for Disaster Management in Delhi.
The proposal made by India for the setting up of a South Asia University that would bring together scholars, scientists and students from all over South Asia in a centre of excellence was welcomed enthusiastically. We will be preparing a Concept Paper in this regard for further consideration by the SAARC Heads of State and Government.
The Summit has also noted with appreciation some other important proposals made by India, such as the setting up of a Regional Food Bank, a Regional Tele-medicine Network, and the holding of a SAARC Car Rally in the run up to the 14th SAARC Summit, which will be held in India in the first quarter of 2007. We intend to develop these ideas further in close consultation with our SAARC partners.
A major theme at the Summit was cooperation in counter terrorism. It will be noted that there is a very strong condemnation of terrorism in the Summit Declaration and renewed commitment to eliminate this scourge, both from the region as well as from the world. For the first time, there is also a clear reference to avoid double standards in tackling this collective challenge. I would rate this also as a major achievement of the Summit, which is entirely in line with India’s own foreign policy objectives.
The Summit was also notable for the signing of three very important trade facilitation agreements. This include:
The Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters;
The Agreement on the Establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council;
The Limited Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.
With the implementation of these Agreements, regional economic cooperation within SAARC will receive a major boost.
Hon. Speaker, Sir, there are also a number of other decisions taken at the SAARC Summit and these may be seen in the Summit Declaration which is being placed on the Table of the House.
To conclude, Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Thirteenth Summit was a landmark event which took place as SAARC enters the third decade of its existence. There was a strong sentiment amongst member countries that the time had come for us to move from a phase of declaratory and consultative processes to more practical and collaborative processes. India is a very strong advocate of collaboration in regional projects, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, poverty alleviation and dealing with cross border challenges such as natural disasters, pandemics like HIV AIDS and Avian Flu and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. I would like to assure members that in the months ahead, it would be our endeavour not only to implement some of the important decisions which have been taken at the Summit but to also promote practical, result-oriented collaborative projects amongst member countries. We want to ensure that when India hosts the next SAARC Summit in the first quarter of 2007, the stage would have been set for a significant upgradation in regional cooperation within SAARC and the first steps would have been taken towards establishing a truly free trade area in South Asia.
12.14 hrs.
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