Pakistan stresses on regional cooperation strategy at SAARC

Sartaj Aziz, adviser to the Pakistan prime minister on national security and foreign affairs, Tuesday stressed that a regional cooperation strategy must be formulated at the two-day SAARC Summit.

Addressing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ministerial meeting here, he said a regional cooperation strategy must be pursued with political will and commitment by the eight member states.

"To become a viable regional organisation, SAARC must be responsive to the aspirations of its people," Aziz said at the ministerial meet that preceded the two-day summit beginning Wednesday.

The Council of Ministers, a Charter Body of SAARC, which meets once a year, took stock of SAARC's progress, discussed the recommendations made by the Standing Committee that met Nov 23-24, and held a range of decisions for the strengthening of the SAARC processes, said a statement.

The council prepared recommendations for consideration at the Summit and also finalised the declaration of the Summit, which was drafted by the Programming Committee and discussed at the Standing Committee, for adoption by the leaders.