The Hindu : National : Small states must have full say: Ansari

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Monday, Sep 24, 2007
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Small states must have full say: Ansari

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari on Sunday emphasised the need for small states to have full say as equal members of the Commonwealth in addressing such issues that vitally impact them.

Inaugurating the 27th Small Countries Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) here, Mr. Ansari said that in a fast changing global scenario, the need of the hour was to address new questions that confronted or may confront small states.

Good reasons

“The Commonwealth has good reasons for its interest in small states.

“The overwhelming majority of the members of the Commonwealth are developing countries; 49 of the 53 members to be precise. Around 60 per cent of the membership of the Commonwealth represents small states.”

Observing that many of the problems confronting the world today were neutral to geography and size, he said issues such as food and water security; environmentally sustainable development; global pandemics such as bird flu and HIV/AIDS; trans-national terrorism; natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis; energy security; and climate change were cross-boundary and needed to be addressed through regional and international cooperation.

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