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South Asia signs deals to fight terror, hunger
The leaders of South Asian countries signed a legal cooperation pact on Sunday aimed at combating terrorism.
- Reuters
- Published: 18:19 August 3, 2008
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom shakes hands with Pakistan's PM Yousaf Raza Gilani (right) as the PMs of India, Manmohan Singh (centre) watches in Colombo on Sunday.
Colombo : The leaders of South Asian countries signed a legal cooperation pact yesterday aimed at combating terrorism.
But the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), a forum of eight nations, made little progress on trade, the central theme of the group.
The summit provided no concrete steps to invigorate the South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) agreement which came into effect two years ago but which has failed to take off.
Instead, terrorism in one of the world's most troubled regions, long haunted by rivalries between India and Pakistan, dominated the summit.
"There was clear recognition that terrorism has become a great menace throughout the world, including in our region," said Sri Lanka's president, Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also the current Saarc chair.
Reviving ties
While the long-standing animosity of India and Pakistan define the security problems of the region, Afghanistan battles a resurgent Taliban and its effects extend to Pakistan's western borders, while a civil war drags on in Sri Lanka. Nepal still does not have a government and India says Bangladesh is a haven for some militant groups.
The legal assistance deal will melt down borders among the Saarc countries when it comes to exchange of information and judicial processes related to crime and terrorism.
Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to "re-engage" in the fight against extremism, a joint statement said, after ties had soured following an attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul. India and Pakistan vowed also to work together and save a tenuous peace process.
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