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February 15th, 2011
PM calls for legal system support for development
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the developing countries need a legal system conducive to both rapid economic development and promoting equitable distribution of the fruits of development.
"The developing countries need a legal system, which is conducive both to rapid economic development and also has a built-in mechanisms to promote equitable distributionof fruits and of development," he said while inaugurating the 17th Commonwealth Law Conference in Hyderabad 0n February 6.
Text of the Prime Minister's address:
"I am very happy to have this opportunity to join this distinguished audience of judges, jurists, and legal luminaries from 54 Commonwealth
countries in this historic and beautiful city of Hyderabad. I commend the organisers for this very important and opportune initiative.
The theme of this conference Emerging Economies, — Rule of Law: Challenges and Opportunities is specially relevant today when a new global architecture is taking place, and there is restlessness in the air in many developing countries.
The ability of emerging economies to be a partner in shaping the new international order in the 21st century will be determined, too large extent, by the choices the developing nations make with respect to their systems of governance, as well as use legal and institutional structures they devise for enforcing the rule of law.
While the policy preferences that countries make are invariably rooted in the realities of their history, politics and culture, the fact of globalisation and the challenges that the world community faces as a whole demand a purposive alignment of domestic policies and laws with the evolving international laws and norms.
This is necessary to address common challenges facing humanity as a whole. There include international terrorism, poverty, malnutrition, amidst
rapid growth, protection of human rights, climate change, energy security and I could go on. Indeed, the rule of law can no longer be divorced from "global policy languages".
The twin challenges of fostering law-bound states and law based international environment will, I hope, engage the attention of this August assembly.
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India urges SAARC states to ratify SATIS
India on February 8 urged all member-states to ratify the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Agreement on Trade in Services, terming it a "big step forward" for increasing trade within the region.
"The signing of the Saarc Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS) in Thimphu last year was a big step forward in broadening the scope of trade in SAARC from goods, to also include services," External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said in Thimhpu in his opening remarks at the SAARC Council of Ministers meeting.
Text of the Minister's speech:
"It gives me great pleasure to be here in Thimphu for the 33rd Session of the Council of Ministers, as part of the Inter-Summit Session. My delegation and I are deeply touched by the warm hospitality accorded to us by the Government of Bhutan and greatly appreciate the excellent arrangements made for this meeting. I am very pleased to be back in Thimphu and recall with appreciation the successful hosting of the 16th SAARC Summit held here in April 2010. I wish to take this opportunity to also thank the Secretary-General of SAARC, Dr. Sheel Kant Sharma, and his very able team of officers and staff, for the excellent preparatory work done for this Inter-Summit Session and its preceding meetings.
As SAARC completes 25 years of its existence, the need of the hour is to identify ways and means for the Association to become a more dynamic component of the larger Asian resurgence, characterised by the increasing inter-linkages and growing inter-dependence.
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India, Germany exploring civil nuclear cooperation
The UK- forum was "fantastically important", said British Prime Minister David Cameron, who hosted the first meeting of the CEOs group at the Downing Street, and discussed ways to improve trade between the two countries.
The UK-India CEO Forum was established during Cameron's visit to India last year. It has leading British and Indian business executives as members and is co-chaired by Tata group chairman Ratan Tata and Mr. Peter Stands of Stan.
Text of the British Prime Minister's speech:
"Welcome, everyone, to Number 10 Downing Street. A particular welcome to Peter and Ratan, who are going to take this CEO Forum ahead.
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