Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will today attend the 14th Summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in New Delhi.

 

This will mark the first attendance by a Chinese diplomat China gained observer status at the SAARC in 2005.

 

"The fundamental objective of China's policy towards South Asia is stability, development and good neighborly relations," Li said at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri in Islamabad, before he headed to New Delhi.

 

Lan Jianxue, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, explained that China seeks cooperation with all South Asian countries but that the current lack of an adequate multilateral platform has hindered this task.

 

"SAARC is a high-level platform where China can meet with its South Asian neighbors, providing an opportunity to discuss how the countries can grow together," Lan said.

 

With Asia's economy developing at a blistering pace, the momentum will be maintained through closer cooperation between its members, including India and China, he said.

 

The two-day summit will highlight the regional battle against terrorism as well as travel, telecommunications and energy.

 

Iran hoping to join

 

Established in 1985, the SAARC regroups Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and the European Union in as observer nations. The latter may soon be joined by Iran and its request will be discussed during a member of SAARC foreign ministers. 

 

Given the close ties between Iran and South Asia, it seems unlikely that Teheran will be turned down especially since India and Pakistan, the SAARC's two largest members, already support its application.

 

Lan explained that Iran's participation in the SAARC would help relieve the Western stranglehold currently perceived by some members of the organization, said Lan.

 

However, Iran's clout will largely be dictated by India which has close ties with the US, he added.

 

"Some smaller member countries are also concerned that Iran's participation will cause more problems for the already complex organization by adding Iran's ongoing dispute with Western countries to the SAARC's agenda," Lan said.

 

However, Iran can make some attractive counter-offers since it is already in discussions with India and Pakistan over pipeline construction that would send Iran's natural oil resources flowing into both states.

 

Some analysts predict that as the India-Pakistan relationship continues to improve, the three-way project could be boosted with Iran as an SAARC observer.

 

(China Daily April 3, 2007)