Following are the highlights of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech at the 13th SAARC Summit in Dhaka on Saturday
- No member country should allow its territory to be used against the interests of another member country. There should be zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism and for the harbouring of hostile insurgent groups and criminal elements
- All South Asian nations should provide to each other reciprocally transit facilities to third countries
- India is prepared to offer to all SAARC nations the facility of daily air services by designated airlines to six metro cities and unlimited number to 18 other destinations.
- Also on offer is Fifth Freedom Rights to the designated carriers of the member nations
- India offers to hold a South Asian Car Rally as a run-up to the next SAARC Summit
- A suggestion to create a centre of excellence in the form of a South Asian University
- A recommendation to establish a Regional Food Bank to which all member states would contribute to meet shortages or losses caused by natural calamities in any of these nations
- To merge different existing and proposed funds to alleviate poverty into an Umbrella South Asian Development Fund
- Recommends setting up of a SAARC High Economic Council
- Creation of a SAARC Museum of Textiles and Handicrafts and exploring the possibility of setting retail outlets in each SAARC nation capitals.
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