Monday, August 29 2005 16:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Describing terrorism as a major "irritant" in South Asia, Nepal today said SAARC countries need to mutually share information to deal with the menace as Information Ministers of the member States met here to discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation.

Union Minister Jaipal Reddy and his counterparts from Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan and Maldives are leading their delegations to the fifth meeting of SAARC Information Ministers, the first major international conference in the Kingdom after the takeover by King Gyanendra.

"Terrorism continues to be a major irritant for most of us, including Nepal, in the region," Nepalese Information and Communication Minister Tanka Dhakal said.

He stressed on the need for all SAARC countries to mutually share information on activities of criminals and terrorists "so as to tackle the menace of terrorism within and outside the national territories and to maintain law and order in the region as a whole."

"In the light of rampant poverty in South Asia, the mutual sharing of information on various aspects of development activities in the region could be instrumental in harnessing our potentials," Dhakal said.

King Gyanendra inaugurated the two-day meet and later spoke to the visiting ministers, including Reddy who is the highest Indian official to visit Nepal after the power grab.

The fifth SAARC Information Ministers Meet will prepare a common position of all member countries on matters relating to media and information for presentation at the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Second Phase scheduled to take place in Tunis in November 2005.