Saarc to strengthen anti-terrorism mechanisms
Saarc member states on Saturday have agreed to establish a high-level panel of 'Eminent Experts' to strengthen the group's anti-terrorism mechanisms as it underlined its resolve to combat the menace in the region.
"We reiterate our commitment to implement measures against organising, instigating, facilitating, financing, fund raising, encouraging, tolerating and providing training for or otherwise supporting terrorist activities", the Declaration on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism stated at the end of the two-day deliberations of the 31st Saarc Council ministers meeting here.
The foreign ministers of the region agreed to step up efforts to ratify and effectively implement the "Saarc Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters."
"We agree to urgently ratify and effectively implement the Saarc Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at the 15th Saarc Summit in Colombo last year," it said.
"We have discussed this matter. Extradition is matter in terms of bilateral treaties and agreements. But, as a group, there is nothing to prevent us from advancing and graduating into a level within the region for us to view the extradition," Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said.
"This is something that we are pursuing...But there has to be certain fundamental principles associated and the parity in terms of many a legal system that could address this," Bogollagama told reporters at the end of the two-day session 31 of the Council of Ministers here.
Claiming that the mutual legal assistance agreement that the Saarc entered into in August 2008 has now become operationalised, Bogollagama said it has several provisions 'in terms of areas including criminal activities leading to terrorism being included in terms of the country-wise reciprocation'.
Pointing out the existence of the Commonwealth extradition arrangement, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said although the Saarc has given 'thought for an exclusive (extradition) arrangement, it has not gone very far'.
"There are lots of things that need to be considered before we come to a conclusion," Kohona said.
Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, E. Ahamed, is representing India at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) ministerial meeting from February 27 -28.
According to the declaration on terrorism, the Saarc would establish a 'High-level Group of Eminent Experts' to review and make proposals to further strengthen Saarc anti-terrorism mechanisms, including for pragmatic cooperation.
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