Cooperative action amongst SAARC nations crucial for development: Chidambaram

Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday said the cooperative action amongst the SAARC nations in areas of common interest and concern will be crucial in meeting the efforts to provide a more secure environment to enable cooperation and development in the countries and the region.

"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," said Chidambaram in his opening remarks at the fourth SAARC Interior/Home Ministers meeting at Thimpu, Bhutan.

"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," he added.

Chidambaram further said India remains 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.

"Where we have signed Agreements, we must ratify them soon. Where we have ratified Agreements, we need to enact enabling legislation to give effect to those Agreements. And where we have legislation in place, we need to apply their provisions to make regional cooperation in security matters substantive and meaningful," said Chidambaram.

"Insofar as sharing information and capacity is concerned, or helping build capacity among Member-States or with regard to responding proactively on concerns of any of our partners in SAARC, I would like to assure fellow Home/Interior Ministers that India will not be found wanting," he added.

Chidambaram said the SAARC nations have achieved much in the past 25 years.

"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," said Chidambaram

"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," he added.

Thanking the Royal Government of Bhutan for their gracious hospitality, Chidambaram said: "It is a sign of the high priority Bhutan accords to the SAARC processes. The rapid transformation of Bhutan's political system, the evolution and maturing of democratic institutions, and the careful attention paid by the nation to preserving its unique culture are remarkable achievements."

"I congratulate His Excellency the Minister of Home Affairs and Culture of Bhutan upon his election as Chairperson of our Meeting. I assure him of India's full and constructive support," he added. (ANI)