The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) was set up on 8th December, 1985. It comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is the world's most populous regional grouping having more than one billion people. The first Summit of SAARC was held at Dhaka for two days in December 1986. It was attended by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, Lt. Gen. H.M. Ershad, President of Bangladesh, Gen. Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan, King Birendra Bikram Shah Deva of Nepal, Mr. Julius Jayewardene, the President of Sri Lanka, King Jigme Wangchuk of Bhutan and Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the President of Maldives. Lt. Gen. Ershad was elected as the Chairman of SAARC. The leaders agreed that SAARC should have a permanent secretariat. SAARC adopted a Charter at this Summit. In terms of this Charter, while SAARC will seek to promote intra-regional collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, cultural, technical and scientific fields, there will be scope for co-operation among themselves in an international forum on matters of common interest and with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes. The Summit advocated "complete cessation oftesting, production and deployment of nuclear weapons". It re-affirmed its deep conviction in the continuing validity and relevance of the objectives of the Non-Aligned Movement as an important force in international relations. The Summit also re-affirmed the commitment of the seven South Asian countries to the Charter of the United Nations which, the declaration said, constituted the most important forum for resolution of all issues affecting international peace and security. In the fifth SAARC Summit held in Male, the capital of Maldives, all the member countries signed an agreement on restructuring the SAAHC activity and extending it to core areas of economic cooperation. Biotechnology environment and tourism