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Leaders from the seven-nation BIMSTEC today vowed to jointly combat the growing threat of terrorism, transnational crimes and drug trafficking and agreed to intensify efforts to enhance connectivity and cooperation in areas like trade, energy and environment.
The 3rd BIMSTEC Summit Declaration, issued at the end of the meeting of leaders from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal, said the members recognised the threat that terrorism poses to peace, stability and economic progress and agreed for closer cooperation in combating all forms of terrorism and transnational crimes.
The leaders called for expediting the ratification for entry into force of the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking and also for the early signing of the BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, the two issues flagged by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to the summit.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) brings together over 20 % of the world population, which is about 1.5 billion, and a GDP of over $ 2.5 trillion.
Singh said the nature of the evolving threat of terrorism in the BIMSTEC region has imparted greater urgency for stronger cooperation to counter it, asserting that their security is "indivisible".
Noting that the region faces many common challenges - from natural disasters to terrorism, he said these have to be collectively addressed to make an important contribution to peace, harmony, security and prosperity in Asia and the world.
"Like our prosperity, our security, too, is indivisible- whether it is the security of sea lanes of communication in our region or the persisting challenges of terrorism and transnational crimes," he told leaders of the grouping.
"The nature of the evolving threat of terrorism in the BIMSTEC region has imparted greater urgency for stronger cooperation to counter it," he stressed.
Myanmar President U Thein Sein said faced with new threats of non-traditional and trasnational challenges of climate change, natural disasters, energy and food security, the grouping has to combine its strengths and resources to engage with other international bodies in addressing these problems.
"In this age of globalisation, regional and sub-regional groupings of nations with common culture and interests are no longer a matter of choice, but the need of the hour," he said.
