At least half of the SAARC member countries are baffled with terrorist attacks. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani said in his opening speech at the summit that each country in the region should combat terrorism independently as well as collectively.

The leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthen the legal regime against terrorism, according to the Colombo Declaration issued by the summit.

"They emphasized the need for strongest possible cooperation inthe fight against terrorism and trans-national organized crime amongst the relevant agencies of the member states especially in the area of information exchange," said the declaration.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley, Bangladeshi Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and Sri Lankan President Mahinha Rajapaksa attended the 15th SAARC Summit.

Representatives from China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and the United States also participated in the 15th SAARC Summit as observers.

The summit decided to move the 16th SAARC to the Maldivian capital Male next year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)