S Asian leaders to focus on terror, energy, food security at Colombo summit

By KUNA,

New Delhi : The issue of cross-border terrorism is likely to dominate the agenda of the 15th SAARC summit at Colombo on August 2-3, which will also see the crucial issues of food security, climate change and energy crisis being deliberated upon by heads of state or government of South Asian countries.


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In the run-up to the South Asian Association Regional Cooperation or SAARC summit, top officials of the groupings member states in their ongoing meetings at the Sri Lankan capital are focusing on the four issues of food security, energy crisis, terrorism and climate, news agency Indo Asian News Service reported Wednesday, quoting a source in the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry. “This year’s SAARC summit is being held under the theme of ‘Partnership for our people. Four major agreements – on the SAARC development fund, the SAARC standard coordinating board agreement, the SAARC agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and the protocol on Afghanistan’s acceptance to the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) – are expected to be entered into at the Colombo summit,” the source said.

The SAARC’s official level discussions also focused on improved inter-state connectivity among the South Asian countries. A Colombo Declaration on food security will be unveiled at the end of the summit. “The recent terror attacks in Indian cities, the suicide attack on Indian mission in Kabul, the violence in Sri Lanka and Pakistan will definitely bring the issue of terrorism into focus,” the source stressed.

Indias External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and other foreign ministers of the SAARC member countries are arriving in Colombo today as the Council of Ministers meeting is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Tight security has been put in place in Colombo for the summit. SAARC comprises of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The SAARC was formed in 1985. In 2007 at the 14th Summit at Delhi, Afghanistan was inducted as the eight member of the regional grouping. The US, Japan, China, South Korea, Iran, Mauritius and the EU will participate, at the foreign ministers’ level as observer states. Australia and Myanmar are also seeking observer status.

SAARCs main aim is to realise the objective of raising the living standard of the people in the region.

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