SAARC accepts Afghanistan, China, Japan in its fold
Leaders pledge to fight poverty - envision South Asian economic block

DHAKA—The 13th Summit of the seven-member regional forum SAARC ended here on Sunday afternoon with the leaders agreeing to realize the vision of South Asian Economic Union in a phased and planned manner and to draw a road map for regional cooperation for the next decade.
The seven SAARC leaders, in the “Dhaka Declaration” they signed at the end of their two-day summit, directed all SAARC institutions and mechanisms to work collectively towards a decade dedicated to the implementation of the plans so that a visible impact can be felt across South Asia.
They said while this would enable SAARC to realize its basic objectives of improving the quality of life of all South Asian peoples, it would, at the same time, create an enabling environment towards the establishment of a South Asian Economic Union.
They also directed the standing committee to formulate its recommendations at its next special session, on a Vision for SAARC’s Third Decade and the course of action for its realization. In the Declaration, the seven heads of state or government decided to establish a SAARC Poverty Alleviation Fund (SPAF) with contributions both voluntary and assessed. The SPAF will function within the SADF to be reconstituted as SAARC Development Fund to serve as the umbrella financial institution for all SAARC projects and programmes.
They decided to declare the decade of 2006-2015 as the SAARC Decade of Poverty Alleviation during which endeavours both at the national and regional level will continue to be made with a sense of commitment and urgency to free South Asia from poverty.
The SAARC leaders directed for early finalization of all Annexes ensuring entry into force of the SAFTA Agreement with effect from January 2006 as the launching of the SAFTA would mark an important milestone on the road to a South Asian Economic Union.
They pledged to translate the commitments made in the last two decades into concrete actions in the form of regional projects and programmes and innovative initiatives to chart a forward looking strategy to promote effective cooperation at all levels.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohon Singh, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, King of Nepal Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga attended the summit chaired by Prime Minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia.
The leaders welcomed the signing of the three agreements during the 13th SAARC summit. They are: the Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, the Agreement on the Establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council and the limited Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. The 8-page Declaration stipulated the  goals of regional cooperation in the economic sector, poverty alleviation, funding mechanisms, advancing economic cooperation, cooperation in social and cultural sectors, welfare of women and children, cooperation in education, natural disasters, international politics and economic environment.
The other goals are security of small states, eradication of terrorism, enhancing political cooperation, setting up a South Asian Development Fund, people-to-people contact, rationalization of SAARC and nstitutional issues. The SAARC leaders agreed to promote cooperation in an environment of enduring peace and stability in South Asia and reiterated their commitment to the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and national independence, non- use of force, non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of other member states. The leaders also underscored the imperative need to ensure universal adherence to the principles and objectives in the UN Charter, their full support for a comprehensive approach for implementation of the Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals, ensuring global peace and security and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the multilateral trade regime of WTO. The heads of state and government welcomed the request of Afghanistan for membership and agreed in principle with the desire of China and Japan to become observers. They agreed to broaden the SAARC agenda and strengthen institutional capabilities of SAARC.
The leaders expressed their determination to unite in their efforts in preventing and combating terrorism and referred to the UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) in this regard. They also called for early and effective implementation of the Additional Protocol to the SAARC Convention on Suppression of Terrorism.
The SAARC leaders renewed their commitment to make cooperation an enduring feature and thus contribute to the region’s peace, progress and stability. They agreed to consolidate the gains made in regional cooperation during the first two decades and to chart strategy to realize the objectives and principles set out in the Charter of the Association.
They reiterated their pledge to making SAARC an effective instrument for cooperation which will visibly improve the quality of life of millions in South Asia. They called for continuing efforts to free South Asia from poverty, hunger and other forms of deprivation and social injustice and agreed to work significantly to accelerate regional cooperation in economic areas.—Agencies