Foreign Secretary, Salman Bashir on Sunday affirmed Pakistan''s support for comprehensive regional co-operation under South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) framework. The foreign secretary is leading Pakistan''s delegation to the 38th session of Saarc standing committee, which started in Thimpu, Bhutan, said a message received here from Thimpu.
Addressing the session, Bashir said that among the priority areas, Saarc should focus on issues relating to environment and climate change, energy and food security, alleviation of poverty, promotion of project-based co-operation, developing substantive co-operation with ''observers'' including regional organisations and extra regional states that have showed keen interest in Saarc''s working.
He said that Pakistan fully supports trans-regional economic, energy and development co-operation. He remarked, "Pakistan is happy to note that under the chairmanship of Bhutan and Secretary General, Sheel Kant Sharma, we have seen steady progress in various Saarc programmes and activities".
The foreign secretary said terrorism and illegal trafficking of drugs pose significant challenges to Saarc member states. He further said that Pakistan had hosted an important ministerial meeting of Saarc interior/home ministers, which adopted Islamabad statement calling for closer co-operation among Saarc states to overcome the challenges.
South Asia, today, is witnessing vibrant democracies at work. Formulation of Saarc Democracy Charter is an important achievement (in this regard), he concluded. Saarc standing committee''s meeting will be followed by a meeting of Saarc Council of Ministers.
Comments
Comments are closed.