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Male Declaration adopted

SAARC states for free trade area by 2001
MALE, May 14: The ninth SAARC Summit ended here today with a landmark decision to create a free trade area in South Asia by the year 2001 to facilitate trade and increase economic linkages between the SAARC countries, reports UNB.
In a 14-page declaration, the SAARC leaders agreed to steadily relax trade barriers until a free trade zone is established by the year 2001.
The declaration also committed the leaders to cooperate on eradicating poverty by sharing resources and pooling expertise for strengthening laws to end child prostitution and boosting literacy levels in the region.
Announcing the decisions at the concluding session of the 3-day summit, the new chairperson of the seven-nation forum, President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom called for making SAPTA effective by removing trade barriers and also by focusing on trade facilitation measures.
The SAARC leaders have agreed to take effort to enhance trade and economic coopera-
tion in the region to further strengthen it by taking specific steps to promote and protect investment and other measures supportive to SAARC joint ventures.
Gayoom said South Asia is a large market and it should be geared to ensure peoples' benefit from the economic resources and trade potentials. "South Asia needs to be prepared for
the next century."
He stressed the need for developing infrastructure, adequate communication networks and simplified documentation procedure to strengthen economic cooperation.
The summit decided that civil aviation authorities of the member states would meet with a view to establishing direct air services between the SAARC capitals to promote people-to-people contacts and encourage tourism.
A group of eminent persons representing all SAARC countries will be appointed to review SAARC achievements and to examine ways to provide further impetus to the regional cooperation, he said.
Looking forward to the next century the work of the group will be of immense value in identifying ways, to integrate activities and target in a SAARC agenda for 2000 and beyond which, he said, would also Indicate what can and should have to be achieved by the year 2020.
Gayoom pointed out that a fruitful and constructive bilateral meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan had helped create a congenial atmosphere and also made the 9th summit a truly memorable one.
We had agreed that a process of informal political consultation will prove useful fostering a neighbourly relation, re-
2 tensions and building fence as a means to promoting peace, stability and amity and accelerated social and economic cooperation in our region."
With the objective of enhancing regional solidarity and promoting overall development within SAARC, the heads of state or government encouraged. under the provision of Articles VII and X (seven and ten) of the Charter, the development of specific projects relevant to the special individual needs of three or more member states, the Declaration said.
It was also decided to convene annual meeting of environment ministers to decide ways to establish stronger regional mechanism to ensure the protection and preservation of environment.
The summit decided to designate 1997 as the "SAARC year of participatory governance" to emphasis the importance of people's participation In designing and implementing socio-economic programmes.
Referring to poverty alleviation programmes, he said it required involvement of target groups in the formulation and implementation of schemes designed to eradicate poverty in this region.
The summit decided to strengthen existing legislations in member states to address the problem of trafficking in women and children within the member states.
The summit agreed on the further need to enhance cooperation to achieve the desired objectives of bringing women into the mainstream.
' we have agreed on the need to formulate a convention on regional arrangements on the promotion of child-welfare in South Asia." said the SAARC Chairman.
He mentioned that the first decade of the new century has been designated as the 'SAARC decade for the rights of the child.'
Gayoom sought guidance and support of other member countries in discharging the duties as chairman of the SAARC which is "fostering greater cooperation. participation and solidarity among all people of South Asia."
Sri Lankan President Chun-drika B Kumaratunga. who will be the Chairman of the 10th SAARC summit to be held in Colombo in 1998, gave vote of thanks in the concluding session.