P. Chidambaram’s at the Fourth SAARC -HM-Meet
As we prepare for the XVII SAARC Summit this November in the Maldives, there is much that our nations have achieved in the past 25 years, about which we can be proud. A significant milestone is the start of courses at the South Asian University in New Delhi in August last year.The SAARC Visa Exemption sticker system is also an important initiative. A new format in two categories has been approved by the SAARC Secretariat, who should soon have the new stickers available for issue by our authorized officials. However, we still have much to do. Our group is yet to achieve even a significant part of the potential in our region.
I would like to reiterate India’s continuing commitment to discharge its responsibilities in SAARC in an effective manner. We shall do our best to ensure that SAARC evolves into a vibrant regional economic organization. Here, I would like to recall the fruitful meeting that we had during the Conference of the Interior/Home Ministers of SAARC countries in Islamabad in June 2010 where we last met. We agreed, inter-alia, on the broad contours of cooperation to combat terrorism. I am sure that all of us are equally committed to our common endeavour in eliminating the menace of terrorism.
The process of taking forward a proactive agenda on cooperation in our neighbourhood is integrally connected with our shared ability to cooperate in eliminating the threats posed by terrorists, drug traffickers, arms smugglers and others whose activities affect the safety and security of our people. On the positive side, I may note that our leaders have agreed on the need for greater regional connectivity, better transport infrastructure, enhanced flow of material and goods, effective border control regimes, and taking further steps to facilitate integration.
Earlier speakers this morning have rightly emphasized the scourge of terrorism. Terrorism is the most significant existential challenge to peace and security in our region. It is the single largest hindrance to socio-economic development in South Asia. The lives and safety of our people continue to remain at significant risk from targeted, deliberate and cowardly terrorist outrages.
Since this is a common challenge that has affected most of us, it is clear that only with the fullest cooperation amongst us can we tackle the threat of terrorism. We have no alternative but to deploy the best instruments and resources at our disposal in our fight against terrorism. It is from this perspective that we need to examine the existing mechanisms we have for countering terrorism, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, arms smuggling and counterfeiting including organized production and distribution of fake Indian currency notes.
Honourable Members, The South Asian region is perhaps the most troubled and vulnerable region in the world. The vast majority of major terrorist incidents this year - as well as last year - have occurred in this region. Terrorist groups in this region have flourished because of the support they have found from State and non-State actors. Sometimes, I think that the distinction between State actors and non-State actors is misplaced and intended to misdirect our efforts to deal with terrorist groups at the very source – the recruitment centres, the training camps and their safe havens and sanctuaries. If I may speak frankly, let me say that no State and no Government can escape responsibility by pointing to non-State actors. As long as the territory of a country is used by non-State actors to prepare for terrorist attacks, that country owes a legal and moral responsibility to its neighbours and to the world to suppress those non-State actors and bring them to justice.
What we need now is to be more proactive in implementing our resolutions in letter and spirit. For instance, there is much more we can do in sharing information on a real-time basis on terrorism and all forms of organized criminal activity. Take the case of our existing Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed nearly three years ago at the 15th Summit. If we act on the provisions of the Convention, it will facilitate evidence-sharing and the seizure and confiscation of criminal and terrorist funds.
Cooperation in our region should lead us to enhancing our cooperation in international fora as well. The proposed UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism is long overdue. As a region with the highest incidence of terror, we need to press for such a Convention soon. For our part, insofar as sharing information and capacity is concerned, India is committed to doing so in a reciprocal manner. We remain open to offering support and cooperation through training programmes in the areas of criminal investigation, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, cyber crime, economic offences and bank fraud cases.
Honourable delegates, you would recall that during the last SAARC Meeting held in Islamabad in June 2010, I had announced that it would be our privilege to host the “Meeting of SAARC Eminent Experts to Strengthen Anti-Terrorism Mechanism” in New Delhi. We had scheduled the Meeting on 9th-10th June, 2011 at New Delhi. However, on the specific request of Bangladesh to reschedule the Meeting, it was postponed. Now we propose to hold the Meeting in New Delhi sometime in October, 2011 and I sincerely hope that all Member-States will participate.
I would like to reiterate India’s continuing commitment to discharge its responsibilities in SAARC in an effective manner. We shall do our best to ensure that SAARC evolves into a vibrant regional economic organization. Here, I would like to recall the fruitful meeting that we had during the Conference of the Interior/Home Ministers of SAARC countries in Islamabad in June 2010 where we last met. We agreed, inter-alia, on the broad contours of cooperation to combat terrorism. I am sure that all of us are equally committed to our common endeavour in eliminating the menace of terrorism.
The process of taking forward a proactive agenda on cooperation in our neighbourhood is integrally connected with our shared ability to cooperate in eliminating the threats posed by terrorists, drug traffickers, arms smugglers and others whose activities affect the safety and security of our people. On the positive side, I may note that our leaders have agreed on the need for greater regional connectivity, better transport infrastructure, enhanced flow of material and goods, effective border control regimes, and taking further steps to facilitate integration.
Earlier speakers this morning have rightly emphasized the scourge of terrorism. Terrorism is the most significant existential challenge to peace and security in our region. It is the single largest hindrance to socio-economic development in South Asia. The lives and safety of our people continue to remain at significant risk from targeted, deliberate and cowardly terrorist outrages.
Since this is a common challenge that has affected most of us, it is clear that only with the fullest cooperation amongst us can we tackle the threat of terrorism. We have no alternative but to deploy the best instruments and resources at our disposal in our fight against terrorism. It is from this perspective that we need to examine the existing mechanisms we have for countering terrorism, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, arms smuggling and counterfeiting including organized production and distribution of fake Indian currency notes.
Honourable Members, The South Asian region is perhaps the most troubled and vulnerable region in the world. The vast majority of major terrorist incidents this year - as well as last year - have occurred in this region. Terrorist groups in this region have flourished because of the support they have found from State and non-State actors. Sometimes, I think that the distinction between State actors and non-State actors is misplaced and intended to misdirect our efforts to deal with terrorist groups at the very source – the recruitment centres, the training camps and their safe havens and sanctuaries. If I may speak frankly, let me say that no State and no Government can escape responsibility by pointing to non-State actors. As long as the territory of a country is used by non-State actors to prepare for terrorist attacks, that country owes a legal and moral responsibility to its neighbours and to the world to suppress those non-State actors and bring them to justice.
What we need now is to be more proactive in implementing our resolutions in letter and spirit. For instance, there is much more we can do in sharing information on a real-time basis on terrorism and all forms of organized criminal activity. Take the case of our existing Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed nearly three years ago at the 15th Summit. If we act on the provisions of the Convention, it will facilitate evidence-sharing and the seizure and confiscation of criminal and terrorist funds.
Cooperation in our region should lead us to enhancing our cooperation in international fora as well. The proposed UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism is long overdue. As a region with the highest incidence of terror, we need to press for such a Convention soon. For our part, insofar as sharing information and capacity is concerned, India is committed to doing so in a reciprocal manner. We remain open to offering support and cooperation through training programmes in the areas of criminal investigation, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, cyber crime, economic offences and bank fraud cases.
Honourable delegates, you would recall that during the last SAARC Meeting held in Islamabad in June 2010, I had announced that it would be our privilege to host the “Meeting of SAARC Eminent Experts to Strengthen Anti-Terrorism Mechanism” in New Delhi. We had scheduled the Meeting on 9th-10th June, 2011 at New Delhi. However, on the specific request of Bangladesh to reschedule the Meeting, it was postponed. Now we propose to hold the Meeting in New Delhi sometime in October, 2011 and I sincerely hope that all Member-States will participate.
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