Addressing the inaugural ceremony of 31st session of the SAARC Foreign Ministers Summit commenced in Colombo this morning President Rajapaksa said the countries in South Asian region should discuss more on these two current issues.
President Rajapaksa pointed out that these two issues are the common challenges currently faced by the entire region.
"We, in the region of South Asia, today face several common challenges. Common challenges require collective responses. Terrorism is such a challenge and it requires our immediate and united attention due to the impact it has on all of us, in one way or another," he emphasized.
Sri Lanka President told the participants that the entire region cannot shy away from taking firm and forceful action to combat terrorism.
"We cannot avoid the need to take stringent measures against terrorism and need to re-double our efforts to combat this menace individually as well as collectively," President stressed.
President Rajapaksa stressed the importance of addressing the challenge brought about by the global financial melt-down. Unless definite counter measures are taken, this downward spiral has the potential to adversely affect the economies and impact on the living standards of the people in the region, he said.
"It is imperative that we think regionally as to how we could help each other. We need to strengthen the regional economies and consolidate our bilateral trade and our financial systems, so that as a region, we remain strong," President said.
Implementation of the 15th SAARC Summit Declaration as well as decisions taken at the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo last August in areas on economic and financial cooperation, operation of the SAARC Food Bank and the establishment of the new inter region bank among SAARC countries are the main topics of the summit, Foreign Ministry said.
The 31st session of the SAARC Foreign Ministers summit will conclude tomorrow.
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