1.The President of Bangladesh, the King of
Bhutan, the Prime Minister of India, the President of Maldives,
the King of Nepal, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the President
of Sri Lanka assembled for the Third Summit of the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Kathmandu on 2-4
November, 1987.
2. The Heads of State or Government recalled
with pleasure the launching of SAARC which marked the beginning
of a new era of regional cooperation for the promotion of peace
and progress, mutual trust and goodwill in South Asia and underlined
the importance of annual meetings at their level, as a prime mover,
in consolidating and accelerating the pace and process of overall
social, economic and cultural development in the region. They
renewed their commitment to the SAARC Charter. They reiterated
their desire of promoting peace, stability, amity and progress
in the region through strict adherence to the principles of the
United Nations Charter and Nonalignment, particularly respect
for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity,
national independence, non-use of force and non-interference in
the internal affairs of other States and peaceful settlement of
disputes.
3. The Heads of State or Government emphasized
that a fundamental goal of SAARC was to promote the welfare of
the peoples of South Asia and to provide them with the opportunity
to live in dignity and realise their full potential. They were
conscious of the formidable tasks ahead of eradicating poverty,
hunger, disease, illiteracy and unemployment and alleviation of
environmental degradation facing South Asia today. They were convinced
that the peoples and governments of South Asia could, acting in
unison, surmount these challenges.
4. The Heads of State or Government expressed
their faith in and commitment to the principles and purposes enshrined
in the United Nation Charter. They further believed that the United
Nations has an important role to play in promoting universal trust,
understanding and concerted actions for the attainment of lasting
peace, global development and general disarmament. They reiterated
their concern at the crisis facing the United Nations. They expressed
their commitment to the multilateral negotiating process and called
upon all states to help strengthen the UN system. They reaffirmed
their belief that SAARC will reinforce this process by promoting
South Asian cooperation.
5. The Heads of State or Government also reaffirmed
their deep commitment to the principles and objectives of the
Non-Aligned Movement. They underscored the validity of its philosophy
and the historic role the Movement has been playing and continues
to play in strengthening world peace and harmony as well as in
promoting development with justice and equity. They also noted
that institutionalization and strengthening of regional cooperation
in South Asia had further nurtured the spirit of South-South cooperation
on the basis of mutual respect, equity and common benefit. They
expressed satisfaction over the result of the Ministerial Conference
on Nonaligned Countries held in Pyongyang in June 1987 and urged
the Non-aligned and other developing countries to take action
to implement effectively the Pyongyang Declaration and Plan of
Action on South-South Cooperation.
6. The Heads of State or Government recognised
that the external environment had a critical bearing on the development
of the economies of the South Asian Region. They noted with deep
concern that growth in the world economy had again slowed down
with adverse consequences for South Asia and other developing
countries, especially for the least developed and landlocked countries.
They observed that equitable participation of the developing countries
in international trading and economic systems and in arrangements
for the coordination of global macro economic policies was essential
for enhancing prospects and performance of the world economy.
7. The South Asian leaders noted that the world
economy had long suffered from a structural disequilibrium. The
pace of global economic expansion had further slowed down. The
downward trend in commodity prices had continued. The net export
earnings had fallen aggravating payment imbalances in developing
countries. The terms of trade had further deteriorated with enormous
losses to developing countries. At the same time, the diminishing
financial flows to developing countries remained unchanged with
contraction in new lendings and growing burden of debt servicing.
In fact there had been a reverse flow of resources from developing
to developed countries. The trade conflicts had also sharpened
with the rise of protectionism thus further weakening the international
trading system and eroding the principle of special and differential
treatment in favour of developing countries.
8. The Heads of State or Government reiterated
the urgent need for resumption of North-South Dialogue with a
view to promoting coordinated actions by developed and developing
countries to channel trade surpluses for development, revive growth
in flagging economies, overcome debt difficulties, expand export
access to the developing countries and stabilise commodity prices,
regulate capital flows and exchange rates more closely, and provide
emergency relief and assistance to the poorest countries. They
called for an early convening of the International Conference
on Money and Finance for Development. They also stressed the need
for preserving and liberalizing the multilateral trading system
with renewed efforts both within and outside the GATT Uruguay
Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. They also underscored
the importance of the developed countries fully respecting the
commitments made in Punta del Este on "standstill and rollback"
and called for the early and effective implementation of this
commitment. The Heads of State or Government also reviewed the
outcome of UNCTAD VII. They hoped that UNCTAD would play an increasingly
effective role in promoting harmonious and equitable international
economic relations.
9. The Heads of State or Government reaffirmed
the need for special measures in favour of the least developed
countries in order to strengthen their resource capabilities and
structural transformation and urged the international community,
in the light of recent decisions at UNCTAD VII, to speed-up tangible
assistance including increased resource flows to these countries
within the framework of the Substantial New Program of Action
(SNPA) for the Least Developed Countries for 1980s.
10. The Heads of State or Government expressed
concern at the deteriorating international political environment
which was due to great power policies and practices of domination
and intervention as well as the increased resort to threat or
use of force, aggression, occupation, pressure, economic coercion
and interference in violation of the principles and purposes of
the Charter of the United Nations. These destabilising measures
were creating a climate detrimental to the policies of peace,
goodwill, stability, prosperity and respect for each other.
11. The Heads of State or Government believed
that the escalation in military expenditure was a major constraint
on world development. In this regard they noted that the UN Conference
on Disarmament and Development had clearly established a link
between disarmament and development and had provided a valuable
frame work for future action in this vital area.
12. They welcomed the understanding reached
between the United States and the Soviet Union on Intermediate
Nuclear Forces. This should be a precursor of further accords
between them to reduce drastically their strategic nuclear missiles
and to refrain from extending the arms race to Outer Space. They
called for the early conclusion in the Geneva Conference on Disarmament
of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and a Convention to Ban Chemical
Weapons. They declared their intention to continue their efforts
to contribute to the realisation of the objective of halting the
nuclear arms race and eliminating nuclear weapons. They declared
their resolve to support every effort to conclude a treaty prohibiting
vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons.
13. The Heads of State or Government expressed
their deep concern at the fast and continuing degradation of the
environment, including extensive destruction of forests, in the
South Asian region. They also noted that South Asia was afflicted
with such natural disasters as floods, droughts, landslides, cyclones,
tidal waves which have had a particularly severe impact recently,
causing immense human suffering. At the same time they expressed
concern over the danger posed by the global sea level rise and
its effects on South Asian countries. These natural disasters
and the degradation of the environment were severely undermining
the development process and prospects of the member countries.
They, therefore, decided to intensify regional cooperation with
a view to strengthening their disaster management capabilities.
They also decided to commission a study for the protection and
preservation of the environment and to the causes and consequences
of natural disasters in a well-planned comprehensive framework.
They entrusted the Secretary-General with this task.
14. The Heads of State or Government reaffirmed
their conviction that the region being most populous in the world
and having age-old socio-cultural links, rich and varied human
and natural resources, offered immense scope and potential for
regional cooperation and that the growing interaction among its
people had added stimulus towards this end. They reiterated their
determination to pursue their individual and collective efforts
for the optimal utilisation of the vast human and untapped natural
and other material resources.
15. The Heads of State or Government reviewed
with satisfaction the progress made so far in the implementation
of the SAARC Integrated Programme of Action and emphasised the
need to further consolidate and streamline the process. They were
conscious of the need to exercise greater discretion in the selection
of activities in different sectors. They took note of the criteria
and procedures relating to administrative structuring and financing
of regional institutions endorsed by the SAARC Council of Ministers.
They directed that the establishment of such regional institutions
should proceed only after taking into account their viability
and benefits to the member countries with due consideration to
economy and efficiency.
16. The Heads of State or Government expressed
satisfaction at the launching of the SAARC Audio Visual Exchange
programme coinciding with the opening of the Third SAARC Summit
in Kathmandu. While taking note of the dates for the institution
of the SAARC Chairs, Fellowships and Scholarships and the commencement
of Organised Tourism among SAARC member countries, they directed
that the schemes for the SAARC Documentation Centre and the SAARC
Youth Volunteer Programme be implemented at the earliest.
17. The Heads of State or Government noted
with satisfaction the signing of the Agreement establishing a
South Asian Food Security Reserve and expressed confidence that
this will provide a much-needed cushion against food shortages
and scarcity situations in the region.
18. The Heads of State or Government expressed
happiness at the signing of the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression
of Terrorism and considered it a historic step towards the prevention
and elimination of terrorism from the region. In this regard,
they also reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of all acts,
methods and practice of terrorism as criminal and expressed their
abhorrence of their impact on life and property, socio-economic
development, political stability, regional peace and cooperation.
19. The Heads of State or Government reaffirmed
their agreement to expand SAARC activities in other concrete areas
of cooperation in order to ensure more tangible benefits from
SAARC to the peoples of the region. They were convinced that regional
cooperation could be consolidated and expanded on the basis of
growing regional complementarities and inter dependence. They
believed that the SAARC long-term perspective should, therefore,
focus on measures to expand and strengthen such areas of regional
complementarities and interdependence not only through formulation
and implementation of more concrete and action-oriented programmes
but also through coordination of national policies and approaches
for finding common solutions to their common problems.
20. The Heads of State or Government welcomed
the first annual review of the Situation of Children in the SAARC
member countries. They reiterated their commitment made in the
Bangalore Declaration to accord highest priority to the needs
of children in national development planning and emphasised that
more intensified action should be taken for the welfare and well-being
of children. They further reiterated their call for an early conclusion
and adoption of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child.
21. The Heads of State or Government expressed
their satisfaction at the establishment of the SAARC Secretariat
in Kathmandu, strengthening further the process of regional cooperation
in South Asia. They expressed their gratitude to His Majesty King
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev for most graciously inaugurating
the SAARC Secretariat.
22. The Heads of State or Government were conscious
of the aspirations of the peoples of South Asia to communicate
and cooperate with each other at the people-to-people level. They
recognised that academics, researchers, non-governmental organizations
and others have an important role to play in promoting the SAARC
spirit and giving impetus to regional programmes and projects.
They further observed that the interest and enthusiasm so far
demonstrated by the increased interactions and exchange of information
at the inter-governmental level should be capitalised and translated
into tangible programmes and projects. They recognised the vast
potential for the generation of friendship, goodwill and trust
through interactions between the peoples which would foster harmonious
relations in South Asia.
23. The Heads of State or Government expressed
their deep conviction that the Kathmandu Summit has further consolidated
the gains of SAARC and given a renewed thrust and direction to
the future course of regional cooperation. They were also convinced
that the Kathmandu Summit has helped to create an atmosphere conducive
to strengthening this process, besides generating further goodwill
and friendship among the member countries in the larger interest
of the region.
24. The Heads of State or Government were conscious
that SAARC should be increasingly oriented to the people's needs
and aspirations so that the masses of the region could be drawn
to a greater extent into the mainstream of SAARC activities. This,
they firmly held, would help bring about a qualitative improvement
in the general atmosphere of the region contributing to peace,
friendship and cooperation in the areas.
25. The Heads of State or Government reiterated
their firm commitment to the spirit and objectives with which
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was launched
and reaffirmed their determination to work, individually and collectively,
towards the attainment of these objectives.
26. The Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were deeply appreciative
of the exemplary manner in which His Majesty the King of Nepal
discharged his responsibilities as Chairman of the Meeting. They
expressed their profound gratitude for the warm and gracious hospitality
extended to them by His Majesty's Government and the people of
Nepal and for the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.
Joint Press Release
Joint Press Release Issued on November 4, 1987 at the End of
the Third SAARC Summit, Kathmandu.
1.The President of Bangladesh, the King of
Bhutan, the Prime Minister of India, the President of Maldives,
the King of Nepal, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and President
of Sri Lanka met in Kathmandu during November 2-4, 1987. Their
meeting was marked by warmth, cordiality and mutual understanding.
2. They issued the Kathmandu Declaration providing
a renewed thrust and direction to the future course of regional
cooperation in South Asia.
3. They considered several issues of common
concern, both regional and international, ad assessed the overall
progress in the context of SAARC objectives.
4. They expressed their happiness at the signing
of the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and
the Agreement establishing South Asian Food Reserve by the Foreign
Ministers of the SAARC Member States in their presence. they firmly
believed that the Convention and the Agreement constituted landmarks
in their collective endeavours to eradicate terrorism and hunger
from the region.
5. They declared their intention to initiate
the process of dealing with the causes and consequences of natural
disasters and decided to commission a study on natural disasters
and the protection and preservation of the environment in a well
planned and comprehensive framework. They entrusted the Secretary-General
with this task.
6. They expressed their satisfaction with the
progress achieved in the implementation of the Integrated Programme
of Action in the eleven agreed areas of cooperation and also with
the concrete programmes related to the Five New Ideas identified
at the last Summit for expanding and strengthening cooperative
programmes under SAARC.
7. They also reaffirmed their view that measures
for expanding regional cooperation should be progressively carried
out within a broad framework of long-term perspective and stressed,
in particular, the need for further consolidation and rationalization
of the on-going activities pursued within SAARC framework.
8. The Heads of State or Government emphasized
the need for strengthening inter-governmental efforts with increased
people-to-people cooperation and called for greater participation
of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including professional
bodies in the private sector, in the process of promoting socio-economic
and cultural development of South Asia as envisaged in the SAARC
Charter, under the auspices of the SAARC Secretariat.
9. They further welcomed the establishment
of the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu as well as the assumption
of office by the SAARC Secretary-General with effect from 16 January,
1987 and considered these as important events in strengthening
the institutional framework of regional cooperation in South Asia.
They expressed their appreciation to His Majesty's Government
of Nepal at the cooperation and assistance extended and facilities
provided to the SAARC Secretariat.
10. The Heads of State or Government took note
of the Report submitted by the Council of Ministers relating,
inter alia, to administrative structuring and financing of regional
institutions and directed that for economy and efficiency all
sectoral programmes should justify the establishment of such regional
institutions.
11. They instructed that in its examination
of the question of the admission of new members and the grant
of observer/guest status in the Association, the Standing Committee
should also include the aspect of the establishment of relations
with similar organisations.
12. They gratefully accepted the offer of the
President of Sri Lanka to host the Fourth SAARC Summit in 1988
in Sri Lanka.
13. They also gratefully accepted the offer
of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to host
the Fifth SAARC Summit in Pakistan in 1989.
14. The Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were deeply appreciative
of the exemplary manner in which His Majesty the King of Nepal
discharged his responsibilities as Chairman of the Meeting. They
expressed their profound gratitude for the warm and gracious hospitality
extended to them by His Majesty's Government and the people of
Nepal and for the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.