ID :
194047
Sun, 07/10/2011 - 12:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/194047
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India urges SAARC Nations to act unitedly against terror
New Delhi, July 10, IRNA – India on Saturday urged SAARC nations to act unitedly against terror.
Terming terrorism as a cancer that can consume South Asia if left unchecked, Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh asked the nations of the region to join hands to tackle the scourge as 'others cannot solve these problems for us'.
Inaugurating the 5th Conference of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Speakers and Parliamentarians here today evening, Dr. Singh said: 'The scourge of terrorism has taken a huge toll on all our societies. It is a cancer that if not checked, will consume us all.'
'South Asia cannot realise its full potential until and unless the region solves its differences peacefully and develops the culture of solving our problems themselves'.
'Others cannot solve our problems for us,' he told the gathering of Speakers and Parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Nepal.
Singh said the region has a shared civilisational and cultural heritage that dates back many centuries.
'We celebrate our pluralism and diversity of religion, language and culture while finding our strength in unity. We must learn to speak with one voice on the common challenges that face us,' he said.
'We can reap a rich demographic dividend if we can equip our youth with the right skills... Channel their energies to productive ends.
Disaffection and alienation provide a fertile breeding ground for intolerance, violence and terrorism which then threaten our societies and rupture the social fabric,' the Prime Minister said.
He said the establishment of the South Asian University was a timely initiative in this context.
Referring to common challenges, Singh said all countries in the region are plagued with mass poverty, unemployment, lack of adequate health care, illiteracy and environmental degradation.
'Each of us has rich and varied experiences in tackling these challenges. We should learn from each other's experiences, and reinforce each other's efforts to deal with these challenges,' he said.
Seeking better cooperation between the member-countries, he said no country can prosper in isolation.
'We live in an inter-connected world, and this is especially so in South Asia. We share common borders... What happens in one country necessarily affects the other. Our destinies are bound by history as well as by geography. If we act with wisdom and sagacity, we all stand to benefit,' he said.
Earlier, Speaker Meira Kumar welcomed the delegates gathered at the central hall of Parliament.
She welcomed Afghanistan, the newest member to the Association that was formed in 1995.
'As Parliamentarians, we are the keepers of the people's will and therefore it is our responsibility to understand and appreciate the power of democratic institutions, especially those that encourage social cohesion and inclusiveness,' Kumar said.
This is the second time that the event is being held in the country.
Earlier, the conferences had been held in Delhi, Islamabad, Dhaka and Colombo.
The delegates from SAARC countries are scheduled to visit Jaipur and Ajmer on Monday.
This is for the first time Afghanistan is participating in the conference./end
Terming terrorism as a cancer that can consume South Asia if left unchecked, Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh asked the nations of the region to join hands to tackle the scourge as 'others cannot solve these problems for us'.
Inaugurating the 5th Conference of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Speakers and Parliamentarians here today evening, Dr. Singh said: 'The scourge of terrorism has taken a huge toll on all our societies. It is a cancer that if not checked, will consume us all.'
'South Asia cannot realise its full potential until and unless the region solves its differences peacefully and develops the culture of solving our problems themselves'.
'Others cannot solve our problems for us,' he told the gathering of Speakers and Parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Nepal.
Singh said the region has a shared civilisational and cultural heritage that dates back many centuries.
'We celebrate our pluralism and diversity of religion, language and culture while finding our strength in unity. We must learn to speak with one voice on the common challenges that face us,' he said.
'We can reap a rich demographic dividend if we can equip our youth with the right skills... Channel their energies to productive ends.
Disaffection and alienation provide a fertile breeding ground for intolerance, violence and terrorism which then threaten our societies and rupture the social fabric,' the Prime Minister said.
He said the establishment of the South Asian University was a timely initiative in this context.
Referring to common challenges, Singh said all countries in the region are plagued with mass poverty, unemployment, lack of adequate health care, illiteracy and environmental degradation.
'Each of us has rich and varied experiences in tackling these challenges. We should learn from each other's experiences, and reinforce each other's efforts to deal with these challenges,' he said.
Seeking better cooperation between the member-countries, he said no country can prosper in isolation.
'We live in an inter-connected world, and this is especially so in South Asia. We share common borders... What happens in one country necessarily affects the other. Our destinies are bound by history as well as by geography. If we act with wisdom and sagacity, we all stand to benefit,' he said.
Earlier, Speaker Meira Kumar welcomed the delegates gathered at the central hall of Parliament.
She welcomed Afghanistan, the newest member to the Association that was formed in 1995.
'As Parliamentarians, we are the keepers of the people's will and therefore it is our responsibility to understand and appreciate the power of democratic institutions, especially those that encourage social cohesion and inclusiveness,' Kumar said.
This is the second time that the event is being held in the country.
Earlier, the conferences had been held in Delhi, Islamabad, Dhaka and Colombo.
The delegates from SAARC countries are scheduled to visit Jaipur and Ajmer on Monday.
This is for the first time Afghanistan is participating in the conference./end
