President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday called for a regional approach to deal with the menace of terrorism and militancy, while taking into account the interests, capacity and aspirations of sovereign states and their peoples.
"A regional approach has to take into account the interest, the capacity and the aspirations of sovereign states and their people and has to build solid stakes in lasting peace", the President said while addressing the 10th ECO Summit, being held here. The President said that as terrorism does not have any faith and frontiers, it was important to focus on addressing and eliminating its root causes, which include injustice, deprivation, and dispossession.
"Terrorism knows neither faith, nor frontiers. It breeds on injustice, deprivation and dispossession. Terrorism has roots across the region and its root causes have to be addressed", he stressed.
He said that "the democratic government in Pakistan has made a promising beginning" with Afghanistan, and the two other brotherly countries are making steady progress in building a relationship of deeper trust and understanding. "We have revived the Jirga process and set the directions of future co-operation", he remarked. The President said the ECO family bears a special responsibility towards Afghanistan, and added that Pakistan has been at the forefront of ECOs efforts for the reconstruction of this brotherly country. "Let us give these efforts a strong impetus", Zardari said, and announced that Pakistan would shortly be remitting an additional $1 million to the ECO fund for Afghanistan.
The President said that, with the important strides being made across the world, the ECO has yet to realise its potential to the fullest measure. "We have to fashion ECO to the specifications of our region and the demands of our times", he said.
The President in this respect made some vital proposals which included the creation of ECO free trade area, development of an ECO energy ring of pipelines and electricity grids, solid win-win trans-regional economic partnership, greater connectivity through road, rail, air and sea links, and forging of closer links with adjoining regions, particularly SCO and Saarc. He called for increased co-operation and deeper integration among the ECO states for mutual benefit as well as for the global economic growth. "By ensuring deeper integration, and leveraging our economic complementarities, the ECO can become the engine of growth for the world," he added. The President said that with ECOs vast resource base and positive fundamentals, the region could contribute significantly to a global economic upsurge.
To realise this goal, he proposed various measures including activation of the ECO central bank to co-ordinate monetary policies and consider the development of a stimulus package for the region. "Trade barriers must be lowered, on priority. Currency swap arrangements be put in place", he suggested.
The President further said that mega projects of regional significance, such as IP and TAP gas pipeline projects, should be launched to stimulate demand, create jobs and generate momentum for growth and prosperity. He said that Pakistan welcomes the proposal of commissioning an experts panel to study the financial crisis and would make substantial contribution to the study. Highlighting the importance of connectivity as a cornerstone of the ECO agenda, President Zardari said the rich tapestry of this regions history and heritage was woven around the fabled Silk Route. "And, its future is premised on modern highways, physical and virtual, that create common space", he added.
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