India has given a call to nations of the South Asian region to draw up collective and innovative measures to effectively counter the menace of terrorism. Addressing the Fifth South Asian Conference in New Delhi today, Defence Minister A.K.Antony said that non-state actors with cross-national- linkages pose critical challenges to countries in the region. Asking them to draw a concrete action plan Mr. Antony said, the region and the world in general face common challenges and the gamut of security issues is largely non-traditional and assymetric. Our correspondent reports that the Defence Minister emphasised that outh Asian Cooperative Security would imply focusing on issues related to soft security.

Asking South Asian nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka to develop a co-operative security architecutre, India has emphasised the need not only to combat terrorism but also soft security issues in the region. Such a security framework requires regular consultations and that's what India has set up- regular mechanisms of dialogue and cooperation with SAARC countries at the bilateral level. Asserting the need for resolving conflict through peaceful dialogue and cooperation, Mr. Antony said, India has always demonstrated its willingness to go the extra mile for the sake of peace and security, even on a non-reciprocal basis, if required.