US urges Asian leaders to 'put aside differences' and unitedly fight against coronavirus

Washington D.C. [US], Mar 18 : The US has called on people of South and Central Asia to cooperate in response to the "shared threat" arising due to global outbreak of coronavirus.

"This is a moment to put aside ideological differences and work together to defeat a global pandemic. I urge all people of South and Central Asia, whether leaders of countries, communities or families, to prioritize real facts and cooperation in response to this shared threat," Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) Alice Wells said in a tweet on Tuesday (local time).

Wells further said: "In addition to a valiant private sector response, our colleagues from @CDCgov and @USAID are partnering with governments throughout our region to strengthen the collective international response to this health crisis."

On Sunday, participants from all eight SAARC nations -- India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghstan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Bhutan -- held a video conference to exchange their views and share experiences in fighting the pandemic.

The conference witnessed Prime Minister Modi proposing the creation of a COVID-19 emergency fund based on voluntary contributions from all the countries, with India making an initial offer of USD 10 million for the fund.

( With inputs from ANI )