New Delhi: In a significant resolution vindicating India's stand, South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) today (Jan 6, 2004) declared that terrorism could not be "justified on any ground" and committed the member-countries to "fully implement" international conventions on elimination of the menace.

"We are convinced that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, is a challenge to all States and to all of humanity and cannot be justified on any ground whatsoever," the Islamabad Declaration adopted by SAARC leaders under Chairmanship of Pakistan said.

Pointing out that people of South Asia continue to face a serious threat from terrorism which violates fundamental values of the UN and SAARC Charter, it said, "We reaffirm our commitment to SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism."

"We agree to fully implement the relevant international conventions to which we are parties," said the declaration signed by Heads of States and Governments of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives.

The signing of Additional Protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on Combating Terrorism to deal "effectively with financing of terrorism is a further manifestation of our determination to eliminate all forms and manifestations of terrorism from South Asia", the declaration said.