The ongoing 15th SAARC Summit would be the turning point in its history, with the declaration phase progressing to implementation, spokesman for the 15th SAARC summit Prasad Kariyawasam said.

“The Standing Committee constituting SAARC Foreign Secretaries which met yesterday continued discussions commenced by the Programming committee on the key issues of the Summit,” the spokesman said.

Among the key issues presently being discussed by the SAARC Committees which would finally pave the way to the Heads of State Summit to be held on August 2 to 3, are poverty alleviation, food security, energy crisis, terrorism and climate change.

“Heads of State are also considering requests by Australia and Myanmar for Observer status. The decision as to the collective measures to be adopted regarding the issues will be taken by the Committee today,” he added.

The Foreign Ministers meeting will begin tomorrow and all SAARC foreign ministers are due to arrive in the island today.

Meanwhile Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris addressing the media at the end of the first day’s deliberations of the SAARC said that all eight SAARC nations have by now realised that improving their respective GDP is not adequate for poverty alleviation, and that development must reach the grassroots level.

”We have also reached a consensus that food production alone is not sufficient to ensure food security, of which a vital component is the existence of a proper mechanism for food distribution.

In relation to all these issues, including those of energy crisis and terrorism, the collective experience of SAARC nations as well as collective action by them regarding modalities of dealing with these problems are of importance,” he said.