Rajapaksa for joint efforts by SAARC nations to combat terror

Colombo, Aug 2 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa Saturday said the "curse of terrorism" can be an
impediment in the resurgence of the South Asian region and
sought redoubling of collective efforts to combat the menace.

Rajapaksa favoured strengthening regional legal
mechanisms and intelligence sharing within the member nations
of the grouping to tackle terrorism.

"We need to redouble our efforts for collective action to
combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said
in his inaugural address at the 15th S.A.A.R.C. Summit here.

"We must ensure strengthening regional legal mechanisms
and intensifying intelligence sharing, in order to secure the
region's collective prosperity, peace and stability," he said.

Rajapaksa suggested carrying out in-depth studies to
understand the social impact of this menace.

"Sri Lanka has seen the benefits of such cooperation in
combating the terrorism in our midst and hopefully eradicating
it sooner than many once expected," he said.

Rajapaksa said the S.A.A.R.C. nations must endeavour to
set right the many wrong impressions that exist about the
actions that are imperative to protect the people and
societies from the brutalities of terrorism.

"Terrorism anywhere is terrorism and there are no good
terrorists or bad terrorists," he said.

Most countries of the S.A.A.R.C. region are faced with
the "curse of terrorism" that threatens the peace and
stability that is needed so much for the forward march of the
people, Rajapaksa said.

"No country in the S.A.A.R.C. region has been spared of
this plague," he said.

Noting that economic surge in Asia provided manifold
opportunities in the region, Rajapaksa said S.A.A.R.C. should
ensure that it provides necessary thrust to the financial
boom. He underscored the importance of efforts for
intensifying to the maximum possible regional economic and
trade integration.

"We have to set in motion a process of adopting a single
currency in the region," the Sri Lankan President said.

Full implementation of the S.A.F.T.A. and other follow-up
measures will greatly facilitate the realisation of the aim of
greater share in the Asian economic boom, he said.

On food security, he favoured seizing the challenge and
transform it into opportunity, with focus on agriculture and
on food security that is largely based on home-grown food.

"We must productively use existing mechanisms such as the
S.A.A.R.C. Food Bank and the S.A.A.R.C. Development Fund, for
the development of strategic buffer stocks of our staple
foods," he said.

To achieve energy security, the Lankan President mooted
shared research in the areas with potential for local
technologies in harnessing renewable energy.