"Otherwise, we may be marginalised from the international mainstream," he said this at the concluding session of the first conference of editors and working journalists of Saarc countries at Hotel Sheraton in the afternoon.

He said, "Our objective is to plug-in more comprehensively with the mainstream of regional and global political, economic, social and technological life."

Morshed Khan said Saarc is seen as a structural forum to forge a regional identity, dispel mistrust, create interest for every member country in every other member country of the forum and launch a programme of meaningful regional cooperation.

The FM said while Saarc's focus was anchored in socio-economic objective and improvement in the quality of life, it is hoped that this would be a vehicle that could ultimately lead to the attainment of political ends through broad-based confidence-building measures.

Referring to the planned 12th Saarc Summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in January, he hoped that the Summit would be able to generate fresh dynamism and give momentum to Saarc process.

On recent India-Pakistan move to normalise their relations, he said, "We are pleased that there are indications that tension in the region is likely to reduce in the coming months."

About role of media, he said, media indeed has become the vanguard of the inexorable process of globalisation that touch upon every society, in its every segment, in some form or the other. "We have seen how the media can scrutinise policies, empower people and connect communities", he said.

Information Secretary Nazmul Alam Siddique, PIO Khandakar Manirul Alam, Director of Saarc Secretariat P.V. Shah also addressed with New Age Editor Enayetullah Khan in the chair.

The 2-day meeting also came up with a recommendation.