NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Dinesh Singh has said that the problems among South Asian nations must be solved through bilateral discussions.
Speaking on Feb.1 at symposium On Japan South Asia cooperation and recent changes in the Environment surrounding Japan 4nd South Asia, the Minister said SAARC was an expression of the desire of South Asian countries to set aside their differences and Cooperate regionally to accentuate their economic development.
The South Asian region had its own special Characteristics, born Out of its history, geography and Cultural tradition.
Dinesh Singh said economic cooperation between the South Asian countries and Japan could g0 a long way in removing misgivings, promoting collaboration and creating an interest in the wellbeing of one another.
The symposium, which was organized by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, was at landed by Pakistan High Commissioner Riaz Kokhar, diplomats from other countries of the region and economic experts.
Dinesh Singh welcomed the Japanese desire to build a new order which would ensure peace and Stability, respect freedom and democracy, preserve the environment, secure an equitable world order under an open and multilateral economic system and establish international relations based on dialogue and cooperation.
He said the new climate created by the economic reforms in India and other South Asian nations had generated great opportunities for increased Japanese investment in the region.
He said a Japan SAARC special fund was to be established to promote intellectual exchanges between South Asia and Japan. There was also a proposal to setup a Japan South Asia center in Tokyo.
All these developments in which the South Asia forum had played and would play a leading role were indicative of a new phase of relations between Japan and SAARC countries.
He said Japan’s $6.5 billion trade with SAARC countries amounted only to 10% of its trade with ASEAN nations ($62 billion).
On Indo-Japanese ties, the minister said Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s visit to Tokyo last June marked a new phase in “our relations.” ‘The Minister said there was considerable intensification of the dialogue in political, economic, scientific and technological spheres.
He said a number of Japanese private investment proposals worth 5 billion were approved. This should be a 15fold increase over that of the previous year. Japan had also emerged as the third largest foreign investor in India.
Chairperson of the symposium Sizabaruo Sato sail South Asian countries should construct a new “multilateral framework of cooperation” to help relax existing tensions and enhance mutual cooperation and confidence for the wellbeing of the people of the region.
He hoped that SAARC would emerge as an important regional entity for the sake of progress and prosperity of South Asian nations.
Sato lauded the economic reforms in some countries of the region, stating new measures of tariffs reduction and streamlining of the governmental control over private sector activities were being implemented rapidly. If this process proceeded without any hitch, it would strengthen regional cooperation, he observed.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 5, 1993
