March 4, 2014

BIMSTEC leaders vow to jointly combat terrorism



Leaders from the seven-nation BIMSTEC on Tuesday 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 per cent of the world population, which is about 1.5 billion, and a GDP of over USD 2.5 trillion.