India Seeks Strong Co-op From BIMSTEC To Counter Terrorism

New Delhi, March 5, IRNA -- Warning about the evolving threat of terrorism in the BIMSTEC region, India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday sought stronger cooperation from the seven-nation grouping to effectively counter it, asserting that their security is ˈindivisibleˈ. Addressing the 3rd BIMSTEC Summit in Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar, Singh said the region faces many common challenges - from natural disasters to terrorism which have to be collectively addressed to make an important contribution to peace, harmony, security and prosperity in Asia and the world, the PTI reported. ˈLike our prosperity, our security, too, is indivisible-whether it is the security of sea lanes of communication in our region or the persisting challenges of terrorism and transnational crimes,ˈ he said. The seven members - India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal - bring together over 20 percent of the world population, which is about 1.5 billion, and a GDP of over USD 2.5 trillion. ˈThe nature of the evolving threat of terrorism in the BIMSTEC region has imparted greater urgency for stronger cooperation to counter it,ˈ he stressed. As part of this effort, the grouping must seek early ratification of the Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking as also expediting signing of the BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, he said, adding that negotiations should be commenced on a BIMSTEC Convention on Extradition. The Prime Minister also spoke of the many opportunities that BIMSTEC countries share in the fields of trade, economic cooperation and connectivity, saying all of this ˈpresage a bright future for usˈ. He said that in realising the BIMSTEC vision, connectivity-physical and digital-was the key to it and could be a drive of cooperation and integration in the region. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an expression of Indiaˈs look East Policy of the 1990s, coinciding with Thailandˈs Look West policy. Singh said in coming together, the grouping was not only stepping out of ˈnarrow, traditionalˈ definitions of regions such as South Asia or Southeast Asia, but also building a bridge across Asiaˈs most promising and dynamic arc. India, he said, was working with BIMSTEC members to improve physical connectivity through various projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, the Asian Highway Network, the ASEAN Master Plan for Connectivity and others. ˈWe will soon launch a direct shipping line to Myanmar that will enhance our regionˈs growing maritime links,ˈ he said. ˈWhile developing physical infrastructure, there was also need for simultaneously putting in place supporting architecture of rules and regulations to facilitate cross-country movements,ˈ he said. Focussing on trade and economic cooperation, Singh said this should figure high on the list of priorities of BIMSTEC countries. He underpinned the importance of early conclusion of the BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement for trade in goods and extend it to investment and services. Underscoring the importance of making energy another priority area, Singh noted that India and some of its neighbours were getting linked by energy grids and reaping regional and national benefits of energy cooperation. ˈWe must, therefore, connect each other through transmission highways and gas and oil pipelines, while also examining opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy,ˈ he said and hoped the BIMSTEC Energy Centre planned in Bengaluru would play a key role in this. Touching on tourism as a powerful source of economic development, Singh said it was also a bridge between peoples and cultures. The Prime minister suggested declaring 2015 as a year of BIMSTEC Tourism. Referring to economic dependence on weather and vulnerability to natural disasters in this region, the Prime Minister said cooperation in this area was important. He said the BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate in Noida near Delhi will become functional immediately. A Memorandum of Association in this regard was inked today. Singh announced that India will renew its offer of 30 AYUSH scholarships to BIMSTEC students to study traditional medicine in India. At the New Delhi Summit in 2008, Singh had announced 450 scholarships for students from BIMSTEC countries which has since gone up by nearly three times and being availed of by Indiaˈs BIMSTEC partners./end