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We will work with agencies to implement cross-border regional projects: PM

New Delhi April 4 The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries have agreed to make tangible progress in the next six months on four issues that affect the daily life of people such as water (including flood control), energy, food and the environment, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said on Wednesday.

"We will work with international agencies to develop and implement viable cross-border regional projects in these four sectors, which address our people's basic needs," Dr Singh said while delivering the concluding remarks at the 14th SAARC summit here.

Forward-looking

The Prime Minister added that the Declaration adopted on Wednesday was comprehensive and forward-looking. "It gives the SAARC a wider mandate to promote peace and development in our region, including through greater connectivity in trade, in the movement of people and through the flow of ideas," Dr Singh added.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the decision to admit Afghanistan and also allow observers for the first time, showed the common desire of SAARC to not only be outward looking but also engage with the world community, apart from being a springboard for exploiting the vast physical and intellectual resources of South Asia.

At the meeting it was also agreed to operationalise the SAARC Development Fund, establish the South Asian University, create a SAARC Food Bank and set up the SAARC Arbitration Council, Dr Singh said.

"The cooperation and accommodation that have characterised our deliberations and negotiations show that our countries are ready for a transformation of SAARC into an effective instrument of regional cooperation," the Prime Minister added.

Further, it has been decided to designate the coming year as the `SAARC Year of Good Governance', he said.

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`SAARC nations will address people's basic needs'

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