SAARC

·         On August 3, 2008 with terrorism emerging as biggest threat in South Asia, PM Dr Singh and SAARC leaders called for the “strongest possible cooperation” against the scourge and urgent development of regional hydro potential, grid connectivity and gas pipelines for energy security.

·         The eight-page Colombo declaration said,“SAARC leaders stressed the urgent need to develop the regional hydro potential, grid connectivity and gas pipelines”

Mission IAS’2009

·         Four major agreements –

o        the SAARC development fund,

o        the establishment of a SAARC standard organization,

o        the SAARC convention on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and

o        the protocol on Afghanistan's admission to the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) –

·         were adopted at the Colombo summit.

·         Two-day 15th SAARC summit concluded at Bandaranaike Memorial International Convention Hall

·         The leaders who attended the ceremony included:

o        Presidents Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan,

o        Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka

o        Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives,

o        Prime Ministers G.P. Koirala of Nepal, Jigmey Thinley of Bhutan and Yousaf Raza Gilani of Pakistan

o        Fakruddin Ahmed, chief adviser of the caretaker Bangladesh government.

·         Representatives of the US, the EU, China, South Korea, Japan and Iran are attending the Summit as observers.

·         The SAARC leaders also granted observers status to Australia and Myanmar