Thursday, November 17 2005 19:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India today (Nov 17, 2005) said developing countries in the South Asian region must work closely on WTO issues to ensure that their voice is heard in the multilateral trade negotiations.

"At Geneva, there are united voices that's why we are heard, we must ensure that this continues," Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here.

Addressing business leaders from SAARC region, Nath said, "We all should strive for common platform, common approach for that is clearly the common goal. All members must work together in tandem with each other to improve quality of life".

Acknowledging that India had a role to play, he said all nations have to move together and stressed that the South Asian region urgently needed to work out a coherent and comprehensive strategy for intensifying efforts towards integration.

While noting that the signing of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement was a milestone, he regretted that 90 per cent of the requirements of South Asian countries were still sourced from outside the region.

"90 per cent of South Asian region's requirement are procured from outside the region and 70 per cent of our exports also have their destination outside the region," he said, adding that the industry needed to introspect on this.

Nath said SAFTA, which is to come into implementation from January 1, will give stimulus to the process of unlocking of country's potential.