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PM Shaukat Aziz stresses ASEAN-SAARC coordination

16 February, 2005

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz stresses ASEAN-SAARC coordination.
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ISLAMABAD, February 17 (Online): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had called Wednesday for greater coordination between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) states for developing an early warning system with a view to preventing and minimizing human and material damages in Tsunami-like disaster in future, said a press release.

He was talking to the speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, W J M Lokubandera, who called on him at the Prime Minister House.

Terming Tsunami as a terrible human tragedy, Shaukat expressed his profound grief over the loss of precious lives in Sri Lanka and other countries of the region and once again expressed the government's willingness to help in the reconstruction effort. He said that Pakistan's armed forces were engaged in carrying out relief and rescue operations dropping supplies and evacuating people in Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for greater collective effort to take the SAARC process forward in order to make the organization more vibrant and effective. "We want to strengthen and energize SAARC as a vehicle for promoting economic cooperation for banishing poverty and accelerating economic development in the region", he added.

Shaukat also called for greater interaction among the parliaments of the region and exchange of parliamentary delegations. He said that parliamentary democracy was flourishing in Pakistan. Democratic institutions were taking roots there was free press and complete freedom of expression in the country. He informed the speaker that the country was organizing Gandhara festival in March this year with the aim of introducing the country's rich Buddhist heritage to the world.

The speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament thanked the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for the country's valuable support in dealing with the Tsunami disaster that struck Sri Lanka recently and said the gesture won the hearts of the Sri Lankan. He also commended the government's excellent up keep of Buddhist historic sites and extolled the rich, diverse and valuable cultural heritage.

The Speaker National Assembly, Chaudhry Amir Hussain was also present on the occasion.

End.

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