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SAARC vows to take on terror The 16th SAARC summit began here on Wednesday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leaders of seven other member nations pledging to combat extremism and terrorism, launch joint initiatives to deal with climate change and boost intra-regional trade. Apart from the Indian PM, the inaugural ceremony, held at the Grand Assembly Hall here, was attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lanka President Mahenda Rajapaksa, Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed and Bhutan Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Thinley. Ministers or high representatives from seven countries - Mauritius, Iran, South Korea, China, Japan, the US and the EU - attended the meeting as observers. Australia and Myanmar joined the grouping as observers today. The summit leaders will tomorrow sign an agreement on trade and services and a convention on environment protection at the concluding ceremony. They will also issue a joint declaration. Today, the leaders inaugurated the SAARC Development Fund (SDF) with an initial capital of $ 300 million to support the socio-economic projects in the region. Amid a thunderous applause from those present at the inaugural ceremony this morning, the Sri Lankan President passed on the chairmanship of the movement to Bhutan. Sri Lanka had hosted the last summit in Colombo in August 2008. In their speeches, most SAARC leaders focused on combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and strengthening economic cooperation to rid the region, which represents one-fourth of the human race, of poverty, hunger and disease. It was, however, the Indian PM who set the tone for the summit by doing some plain-speaking on why SAARC has not lived up to its potential to become an effective vehicle for changing the lives of the people. “In looking back at these two and a half decades (of SAARC’s existence), we can claim the glass is half full, and compliment ourselves, or we can admit the glass is half empty and challenge ourselves,’’ he said. The Afghan President and the Pakistan Prime Minister spoke at length about the threat posed by terrorism to the entire region. Some of the leaders were highly appreciative of India for its contribution to SAARC activities. The Maldivian leader pointed out how India had emerged unscathed from the global economic crisis. “We must learn from India to kick start our economic growth.’’ Meanwhile, climate change appears to have emerged as an important issue for the SAARC leaders. They have decided to take a common position at the Mexico summit on climate change in December. They would also pitch for observer status to the grouping at the Mexico conference as that would enable the eight nations to expressive their concerns collectively and effectively. The Thimphu summit marks the silver jubilee celebration of SAARC that was formed in Bangladesh in December 1985 with the aim of eradicating poverty and improving the living standard of 1.5 billion people of the region through mutual cooperation. At the meet...
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Agree to combat climate change, boost regional trade
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Inaugurate development fund for socio-economic projects
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Rajapaksa passes on baton of movement to Bhutan
Indo-Pak ties raised
In an unusual statement, the Maldivian leader, attending the summit for the first time, hoped India and Pakistan would have effective conversation to resolve their differences in the larger interest of the people of the region. The remarks came as a surprise as normally bilateral issues and relations are not raked up in the multilateral forum of SAARC.
Bhutan Diary Skyscrapers, zooming SUVs, glittering shopping malls and cool gadgets may be indicators of growth elsewhere in the SAARC region but prosperity in this Buddhist-dominated nation means something beyond that. Far from unending human greed, the Bhutanese believe in the notion of gross national happiness as an alternative to gross national product. The guiding philosophy of people and also that of the government is not to worry about mere economic development. The success of government plans is measured by how much happiness they produce. Luxury villas for the ‘Heads’ To make their stay in the Bhutanese capital a truly memorable one, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other SAARC leaders have been provided with two luxury villas each at the SAARC village set up for their summit meet here. Officials and delegates for the summit have, however, been accommodated in hotels. The SAARC village has been tastefully decorated with portraits of Manmohan Singh and other SAARC leaders hanging all over. With "towards a green and happy South Asia" being the theme of the summit, the concern is reflected everywhere. Bhutan is also hosting a SAARC Artists Camp. Jittery over calls from Pak More than the likelihood of a meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, the arrest of Madhuri Gupta, Second Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, on charges of spying for Pakistan's ISI is dominating discussions in Indian diplomatic and media circles here. One middle-ranking official was heard telling his bosses that he has been receiving calls from a Pakistani journalist working for an English daily inquiring why he was being denied visa to visit India. This official wondered aloud if he could also get in trouble merely because he had been receiving calls from a Pakistani. 10 degrees Celsius at Thimphu Just perfect. From a scorching 40 degrees or more temperature in Delhi to below 10 degrees with intermittent rain in the picturesque Bhutanese capital, it was a welcome change for most Indian delegates to the SAARC Summit. "Such a lovely weather. I wish the Summit continues for some more days. Why not avoid the blistering heat for some more days if possible,'' a journalist from Delhi exclaimed wistfully as soon as he arrived at the Indian media centre in Thimphu after landing at Paro Airport, some 60 KMs from here. Craze for cricket, IPL The just-concluded IPL cricket league was so popular in Bhutan that young Bhutanese would remain glued to their television sets whenever Sachin Tendulkar or Virender Sehwag came out to bat. Sehwag, however, disappointed them no end. Cricket is as popular in Bhutan as in India or other South Asian nations. Since a large number of students in Bhutan go to India to pursue higher studies in Indian universities, they too have become cricket buffs. One can see young boys playing cricket at street corners at many places in
Thimphu.
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