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Highlights of SAARC Declaration
Source: PTI April 05, 2007 00:39 IST
Following are the highlights of the Declaration adopted at the 14th SAARC Summit :
- Afghanistan inducted as eighth member of the Grouping.
- SAARC Development Fund to be operational at the earliest.
- Comprehensive pact on harmonising customs procedures to be finalised
- Establishment of SAARC Standards Coordinational Board.
- Agreement to combat terrorism, narcotics and psychotropic substances, trafficking in women and children and other trans-national crimes.
- Need to overcome the challenges of poverty, disease, natural disasters and terrorism.
- Agreement by member countries to work together to deal with these challenges in order to secure the region's collective prosperity
- Agreement to improve intra-regional connectivity, particularly physical, economic and people-to-people connectivity
- To establish SAARC Food Bank with participation of all SAARC countries
- The Food Bank will supplement national efforts to provide food security to the people of the region.
- SAFTA to be implemented in letter and spirit.
- Telecom tariffs to be rationalised on a reciprocal basis.
- South Asian University to be set up in India.
- Emphasised the need to develop a road map for a South Asian customs union and a South Asian Economic Union.
- Uniform entry fee for SAARC country tourists to archeological and heritage sites.
- Ask all WTO members to work for successful conclusion of the Doha Round.
- SAARC scholarship scheme in ICT and related areas to be instituted.
- SAARC nations for urgent conclusion of comprehensive convention on international terrorism.
- Protection and conservation of environment as priority area.
- Maldives to host the 15th SAARC Summit.
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