SAARC SUMMIT 2010

Themed ‘Environment and South Asia,’ the journalist summit begins at 6:00 pm today at Zhiwaling hotel with the prime minister, Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley, as the chief guest.More than 300 journalist to cover SAARC Summit about ninty journalists and media personnel from south Asia have arrived in Paro to attend the fifth SAARC journalists’ summit, which Bhutan is hosting for the first time and will take place alongside the 16th SAARC summit.The highest number of delegates for the conference are from Pakistan, with 24 media personnel, followed by 18 from India. Bangladesh and Nepal have 14 each, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka 10 each and seven from Maldives. More than 30 media officials and journalists from Bhutan will be attending the conference, which is being organised by the south Asian free media association. The leading glaciologist in India, professor Syed Iqbal Hasnain, will deliver the keynote address on ‘Melting Glaciers and the Future of South Asia’ tomorrow. Eight nations SAARC meeting of heads of government, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are attending the Summit.The Summit will adopt a declaration - "Towards a Green and Happy South Asia", focusing on the problems relating to environment and climate change.First official possible meeting between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan here. Foreign secretaries of the eight-member regional grouping are meeting in Bhutan to reach a common economic and development goal.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the 16th SAARC summit, the foreign secretaries of the eight-member regional grouping began their meeting in Thimpu on Sunday to consider the fineprint of two draft agreements on trade and environment expected to be signed at the summit on April 28-29.At Sunday's SAARC standing committee meeting, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said, "In this 25th year of SAARC, we can take satisfaction from the fact that SAARC has evolved into a service provider for the economic and development needs of the people of the region."Claiming that the regional grouping has achieved significant success, Rao said, "valuable progress has been achieved in developing a regional framework of cooperation in areas such as environment, energy, agriculture and rural development, food security, health, trade and transportation."Bhutan has proposed a summit declaration entitled " Towards a Green and Happy South Asia" and a separate ministerial declaration on climate change. The summit is also expected to discuss the pertinent issue of crossborder terrorism in South Asia. Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has this morning departed on an official visit to Bhutan to attend the Sixteenth SAARC Summit. President Nasheed is also accompanied by First Lady Laila Ali. The Sixteenth Summit of the Heads of State and Heads of the Government of members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation will be held from 28 to 29 April in Thimphu, Bhutan.While attending the Summit, President Nasheed will meet with leaders of other SAARC member countries on the sidelines of the Summit to discuss the Maldives’ relations with their countries and other important issues of regional interest.Speaking to the press at Male’ Official Jetty, before departure this morning, President Nasheed noted that SAARC needed to play a more active role in addressing the regional issues. He said during the Summit, he would work with other leaders of SAARC to further strengthen and expand the role of the organisation within the region.After concluding his visit to Bhutan, President Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali will begin a state visit to China, on 1 May. Peoples SAARC’, an assembly of civil activists from South Asia, gathered at Jawaharlal Nehru University for a two day conference entitled ‘Assembly towards Union of South Asian Peoples’.Civil activists from the region just days before the summit hosted Peoples SAARC, an assembly in India to forge a strong South Asian identity, and collaborate for peace and development.