Genuine cooperation needed among nations to defeat terror: PM

Ajay Kaul

Yekaterinburg (Russia), June 16 (PTI) Noting that
terrorism is haunting the Asian and Central Asian regions,
India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday underlined the
need for "genuine" cooperation among countries on a global
scale to resolutely defeat the menace.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
Summit here, he said India is seeking a conducive external
environment for its sustained high economic growth which is
necessary to meet its developmental objectives.

"We wish to see peace, prosperity and stability in the
region that the (SCO) Organisation represents. We have a lot
to gain and learn from each other. It is in this spirit that
we approach our engagement with the Organisation and its
different organs and bodies," Singh said.

"We seek an external environment that is conducive to
meeting the aspirations of our people," he said, marking the
first address by an Indian Prime Minister at the six-nation
grouping in which India is an Observer.

Talking about the security challenges in the region in
presence of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari besides other
leaders, Singh said the "spectre of terrorism, extremist
ideologies and illicit drug trafficking haunt our region".

He emphasised that terrorist crimes committed today
are transnational in nature and no country is immune to these.

"It is imperative that we resolutely cooperate with
one another and on a global scale to resolutely defeat
international terrorism," Singh said.

He pointed out that the growth of the Indian economy
at an average rate of 8 per cent over the last five years has
enabled the country to generate higher investible resources to
cater to the needs of our rural economy, the social sector and
infrastructure.

"It has also opened up opportunities to intensify our
interaction with the outside world in the areas of trade and
investment, science and technology, and in the revival of the
global economy," Singh said.

Talking about the global financial crisis, he said the
economic gains that have been made in the past are today
threatened by it.

"We should convert this crisis into an opportunity for
much greater economic cooperation between the members of the
SCO and India. Between us, we have a vast market, a large
industrial base, a talented human resource base and above all,
the political will," he said.

The Prime Minister said the SCO member countries and
observers should work together to reform the institutions of
global governance, including financial institutions, to bring
them in tune with the present and emerging economic realities.

"We can no longer delay giving concrete shape to the
concept of sustainable development. The development world
needs access to financial resources and environment friendly
technologies, especially in energy, transportation,
manufacturing and agriculture," the Prime Minister said.

"We need technology innovations for reduction of
energy use by industry and other sectors. We need massive
action for afforestation, drought proofing and flood
protection. We need action to protect the glaciers that feed
our river systems," he said.

Speaking about India's desire to forge closer ties
with the SCO countries, he said there is a lot to be gained
through strengthening connectivity between the member nations
and India.

"We would like to cooperate in finding innovative
means to strengthen people-to-people contacts, exchanges of
business persons and scholars and trade, investment and
technology flows. We would welcome closer cooperation in the
fields of energy and food security, and infrastructure
development," he said. PTI