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President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing the opening session of the
15th SAARC Summit this morning (August 2) at the Bandaranaike
Memorial International Conference Hall, called on the South
Asian leaders attending the summit to commit themselves
and their countries to a more determined and concerted effort
to collectively combat the scourge of terrorism in all its
forms and manifestation.
He
emphasized that it is the very interdependence which gave
birth to SAARC that has emerged as the crucial factor for
durable peace and the protection of democratic values in
the region.
In
this regard, President Rajapaksa expressed the need to ensure
strengthening regional legal mechanisms and intensifying
intelligence sharing, in order to secure the region's collective
prosperity, peace and stability, in combating terrorism.
He
said it is also necessary that South Asia as a region, endeavour
to set right the many wrong impressions that exist, or are
promoted elsewhere, about the actions that are imperative
to protect our people and societies from the brutalities
of terrorism. Terrorism anywhere is terrorism and there
are no good terrorists or bad terrorists, he emphasized.
The
full text of President Rajapaksa's address is given below:
Address
by His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa
At the 15th SAARC Summit, Inaugural Session - August 02,
2008
Your
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
I
am honoured and privileged to welcome you to Colombo for
this fifteenth SAARC Summit.
Your
presence in our country adds to the historic importance
of this year for us. This year, our nation celebrates the
sixtieth Anniversary of our being freed from the yoke of
colonial rule. Most of the nations of our region share with
us the common heritage of colonial dominance and struggle
for freedom to restore our national dignity and honour.
I
consider it my duty on this occasion to express on behalf
of all Member States of SAARC, our deep appreciation for
the dynamic leadership that India has provided to this region
and to SAARC since the fourteenth SAARC Summit in New Delhi.
I
would also take this opportunity to welcome and extend best
wishes to the new Secretary General of SAARC, Dr. Sheel
Kant Sharma, while also expressing our appreciation to his
predecessor, Mr. Chenkyab Dorji and the SAARC Secretariat
for their dedicated and invaluable work in preparation for
this Summit.
This
Colombo Summit takes place amidst a background of significant
political events and major international issues, such as
food and fuel insecurity and degradation of the environment.
It is our responsibility as leaders and representatives
of our peoples to give tangible expression to the SAARC
Charter objective of promoting the welfare and improving
the quality of life of our peoples, which remains at the
core of all our common endeavours.
The
Delhi Summit launched SAARC as a Partnership for Prosperity,
for the Prosperity of Our People, identifying the importance
of connectivity as a powerful engine of growth. Continuity,
consistency and coordination are all vital to have the desired
practical effect towards our goal of regional economic integration.
However,
we must ensure that SAARC becomes more meaningful to all
our people. Therefore, throughout the ensuing year we have
to give SAARC a truly people-centred focus through all its
programmes and mechanisms. It is then that SAARC can become
the robust Partnership for Growth for all our people.
South
Asia's continued progress in economic and social development
is a matter of great satisfaction to me. Unemployment in
our country, as well as in the region, has reached historic
low levels leading to declines in overall poverty. South
Asia is no more the poverty trough of the world, although
we have yet to eradicate poverty from our midst.
Yet,
for growth to be sustainable, its benefits must be evenly
distributed, pro-poor strategies must be put into place,
and the rural populations that make up the vast majorities
in all our countries, must be empowered ensuring gender
equality.
The
SAARC Social Charter and our shared experiences and best
practices, already provide a solid foundation to further
strengthen empowerment of the rural people. In our own country,
the Policy Vision of the Mahinda Chintana, my electoral
pledge to the people of Sri Lanka, addresses this issue
and seeks to transform current challenges into opportunities
for the upliftment of the rural people.
It
is a matter of satisfaction that we are progressively inaugurating,
in each of our countries, SAARC villages as visible examples
of our collective commitment to rural uplift. The most recent
such village was opened on 27th July this year in Nawalapitiya,
in the central hill region of Sri Lanka.
Excellencies
and Friends,
As
we meet today, most countries of our region are faced with
the curse of terrorism that threatens the peace and stability
that is needed so much for the forward march of our people.
No country in the SAARC region has been spared of this plague.
We need to redouble our efforts for collective action to
combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It
is important to remember the element of interdependence
which is crucial for a durable peace and the protection
of democratic values in the region.
We
must ensure strengthening regional legal mechanisms and
intensifying intelligence sharing, in order to secure the
region's collective prosperity, peace and stability. Further,
I would strongly suggest that in-depth studies are carried
out 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.
My
gratitude must go to all our regional partners and our many
friends from other quarters that have cooperated with us
in this matter. In my view it is also necessary that we,
as a region, endeavour to set right the many wrong impressions
that exist, or are promoted elsewhere, about the actions
that are imperative to protect our people and societies
from the brutalities of terrorism. Terrorism anywhere is
terrorism and there are no good terrorists or bad terrorists.
Excellencies,
Asia's
economic surge provides our region with manifold opportunities.
We are on the threshold of a new age the Age of Asia with
South Asia being an important part of it, not only in numbers
but also in skills and the strength of growing economies.
Today, Asia is the economic power house of the world.
In
order to ensure that we in the SAARC provide the necessary
thrust for Asia's economic surge, I would once again promote
the idea of SAARC intensifying to the maximum possible its
regional economic and trade integration. We have to set
in motion a process of adopting a single currency in the
region. Undoubtedly, full implementation of the SAFTA and
other follow up measures will greatly facilitate the realisation
of this vision. Our region also should assume a leadership
role in the reform of Multi-lateral Financial Institutions.
Today,
as never before we are confronted with the global issues
of food and energy insecurity and climate change. Food prices
in international markets have increased by 54 percent in
the past year alone. World oil prices have increased by
300 percent over the past four years. These are the statistics
of near despair. Yet, I believe that we need not despair.
Excellencies,
I
propose that we seize this challenge and transform it into
opportunity, with focus on agriculture, on food security
that is largely based on home grown food; that we look at
realistic policies on nutrition, at strategies for development
that are least dependent on the forces of speculation and
markets that have no feel for the people.
We
must productively use existing mechanisms such as the SAARC
Food Bank and the SAARC Development Fund, for the development
of strategic buffer stocks of our staple foods. Food security
is vital because of its impact on all sectors of national
life. It is today recognised as an essential condition for
economic and political stability.
We
also need to act fast on meeting the energy crunch. There
is the necessity to accelerate our plans for South Asian
energy sharing. Knowing that we have to depend on fossil
fuels for many more decades to come, we must explore the
use of other sources of energy that will take us out of
the deadly grip of the oil well. However, pursuit on Bio-fuels
must not be at the cost of food crops or arable land.
To
take the next leap from fossil fuels to renewable energy,
we have to move with speed on harnessing the Sun, the Sea,
and the Wind resources that all of our countries have in
plenty. South Asia must look at shared research in the areas
with potential for local technologies in harnessing renewable
energy.
As
we grapple with the issues of food and fuel security, we
will also need to address as a matter of priority, the looming
water deficit in the region. King Parakramabahu, an ancient
ruler of Sri Lanka, advised the people not to allow a single
drop of water to flow into the sea without first being of
use to the people. We must bring a new focus on conservation
of water resources to ensure that South Asia would be the
best watered region in the world.
Asia's
evolution has been founded on ancient traditions of environmental
sustainability, integrating environmental responsibility
with cultural and religious values. We should go back to
the tradition of sharing that sustained our people in the
past, shedding the tradition of exploitation of nature that
came to us from our former conquerors.
Throughout
our region there is increasing movement from the village
to the city, resulting in degradation of the environment
and human dignity. Let us therefore commit ourselves to
upgrade village housing and facilities, through a sound
mix of traditional construction methods and material with
modern technology, to discourage people from moving out
of the villages. In the cities, we need to further evolve
models of urban design and housing construction that strengthen
the inherited spirit of social community common to all our
societies.
Excellencies,
The
Delhi Summit last year laid stress on connectivity. Today,
we find that with the advances of communications technology,
good connectivity is not very far from our people. Although
the numbers of mobile phone users in South Asia are rapidly
increasing yet, our people remain distanced through the
barrier of tariffs. I, therefore, propose that we actively
promote a reduced tariff for IDD calls within the South
Asian region to bring our people much closer, much sooner.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
We,
in South Asia share a rich and common heritage, a heritage
of understanding and of tolerance, a heritage that respects
learning and wisdom, and takes pride in sharing the bounties
of nature. But for this great heritage that transcends differences
and upholds the value of a shared purpose and existence,
our diverse cultures, languages and religious traditions
could have made us the most divided region in the world.
Instead, by and large we see a great harmony among our peoples.
In
my own country, the impact of this common heritage is best
seen today in what we have achieved in the East, where we
have defeated terrorism, restored democracy, elected a Chief
Minister from a minority community who was a former child
soldier, and, most of all, where the Sinhalese, Tamil and
Muslim communities live together, work together, and together
seek the common goals of progress and prosperity. This indeed
is a unique transformation within a short span of one year.
This is my deep desire for the people in the North as well.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests, and friends,
In
conclusion ay I say that there must be a spirit of large
heartedness by all including the stronger and wealthier
nations, when some of these crucial issues are addressed.
It is my fervent hope that the Colombo Summit will enable
our dialogue with the Observer States to broaden into a
process for constructive consultations, and project related
cooperation in agreed areas. I have no doubt that together
we can make our common endeavours, this Partnership, succeed
for the benefit of all our peoples.
Thank
you.
May
the Noble Triple Gem Bless you all.
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