By Swaran Singh
As many South Asia nations still struggle to partake of the
benefits of globalization, the recent summit of the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in New Delhi extended
the association's potential with widened membership and powerful
nations present as observers.
It will be remembered for several new initiatives.
First, the 14th meeting of the heads of state or government of
SAARC welcomed Afghanistan as its eighth member. The presence of
Afghanistan completes the strategic unity of the subcontinent,
raising hopes for possible Afghanistan-India-Pakistan sub-regional
cooperation.
Second, this was the first summit with five observers China, the
United States, the European Union, Japan and South Korea. Their
presence reflects the rising stature of SAARC within the
international community. SAARC leaders, in principle, approved
Iran's application for admission with observer status at future
SAARC meetings.
Third, although this was the third summit held in India, it was
the first against the background of positive relations between
India and Pakistan. At all preceding summits, India-Pakistan
bilateral relations had been the fundamental hurdle.
Fourth, the summit marked India's own evolution and the
unfolding of a new chapter in its SAARC policy. In the spirit of
unilateralism and without expecting reciprocity from its smaller
neighbors, India displayed a new self-confidence. This facilitated
the addition of major powers like China into the SAARC family.
Other indicators of a favorable environment included the end of
Nepal's decade-long left-extremist violence and the beginning of a
democratic process; the peaceful succession of a new king in Bhutan
with a multi-party administration in the works for 2008; and
relative stability in Bangladesh.
In terms of continuity, democratically elected Maldives
President Mohammed Abdul Gayoom is the only SAARC-member country
leader who has attended all 14 summits.
This SAARC summit was not completely devoid of the usual
skirmishes. Pakistani Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz raised issues of
SAARC's having been mired in managing conflicts. He cited a
"trust-deficit" in expanding bilateral trade and free trade
arrangements to resolve Kashmir issues.
Not free from political skirmishes at home, when Sri Lankan
President, Mahinda Rajapakse proposed a single currency for SAARC
nations, it triggered an uproar in the Sri Lankan Parliament led by
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Heightened paranoia over air attacks by Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Elam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka was also felt during the SAARC
summit.
As for constructive decisions, the commitment to expanding
transportation connections among the countries clearly symbolized
the new SAARC spirit.
The leaders flagged off the New Delhi segment of an SAARC car
rally with 120 drivers and 30 cars from SAARC countries. This first
SAARC rally took off from Bangladesh and will wind up in Maldives
on April 14. The rally is expected to become an annual event,
promoting regional trade and tourism.
As part of their deliberations, India and Pakistan both
emphasized regional integration through stronger links in trade,
transport, movement of people and flow of ideas. Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh announced that India will relax visa
procedures for journalists, students, academics and doctors working
in SAARC countries.
SAARC moved a step further from its decision in principle at the
last summit to grant SAARC visa stickers for media-persons. SAARC
immigration officials will meet soon to work out details in
granting 50 such stickers to each of the SAARC countries.
India also announced that starting this year, the least
developed SAARC countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal will
be given completely duty-free access to Indian markets.
India proposed completing airline connections among all eight
SAARC capital cities in the next 18 months. The proposal includes
connecting SAARC capitals with 18 Indian cities.
The original proposal was made by the Indian prime minister
during the 13th SAARC summit in Dhaka in November 2005.
India has since followed this with formal proposals to all SAARC
nations (minus Pakistan). It has proposed an Open Sky Policy to
facilitate private sector initiatives and encourage competition in
developing these air links.
New Delhi has also offered SAARC members "Fifth Freedom Rights"
civil aviation jargon for allowing each of these countries'
airlines to use Indian cities for stopovers for onward journeys to
other SAARC-member countries and other destinations.
To date, Sri Lanka is the only country which has reciprocated.
Air Lanka is now the largest foreign operator in India with more
than 100 flights per week.
In contrast, while Pakistan supported India's proposals, it has
opposed allowing air carriers to have multiple destinations even
among SAARC countries.
While there remains uncertainty over the exact role of observer
states, this summit provided some indicators of their possible
contribution to SAARC proceedings.
The most noticeable was the slew of bilateral meetings involving
observers during the summit.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, in his bilateral meetings with
India's prime minister, emphasized that China saw the summit as an
additional opportunity to strengthen the China-India strategic and
cooperative partnership.
The Indian prime minister welcomed China as an observer and said
that SAARC would like to share China's expertise in areas including
poverty alleviation.
At the same time, Li Zhaoxing took the lead in outlining the
role of SAARC observers. Speaking at the opening session, the
foreign minister outlined two specific measures to institutionalize
China's relations with SAARC: formalizing the China-South Asian
Business Forum and holding a workshop this year on contemporary
China for South Asian diplomats.
Japan and South Korea foreign ministers also outlined plans to
expand their countries' trade and investments in SAARC countries.
Their observer status in SAARC is expected to provide them with one
more platform to benefit from the economic boom in some of the
South Asian countries.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso announced specific Japanese
proposals for acting as a catalyst in SAARC regional
integration.
He pledged on behalf of Japan US$7 million to the SAARC special
fund for social and cultural exchanges. He also expressed Japan's
commitment to help develop connections among SAARC members.
As part of its involvement, Japan plans to invite more than 500
high school and university students from SAARC member countries to
visit Japan every year.
In fact, the two-day SAARC summit produced some historic
breakthroughs.
The leaders agreed to set in operation the US$300 million SAARC
Development Fund, establish the South Asian University (starting in
New Delhi), create the SAARC Food Bank and the SAARC Arbitration
Council.
With the people of South Asia the focus of SAARC deliberations,
the leaders agreed to "achieve tangible progress" in the next six
months on at least four other issues affecting member-states'
population. These include water (including flood control), energy,
food and the environment.
Leaders clearly identified terrorism, poverty and natural
disasters as their major challenges. Trade and investment were
highlighted as means to facilitate cooperation.
In their eight-page declaration at the end of the summit,
leaders emphasized taking "every possible measure" to stop the
financing of acts of terror and to counter trafficking in narcotics
and illicit arms.
In consonance with the Comprehensive Convention on International
Terrorism, currently being debated at the United Nations, Sri Lanka
will hold a meeting of legal advisers to develop a SAARC convention
on mutual assistance to combat terrorism and organized crime. The
meeting will be held before the SAARC interior ministers meet in
India in October.
SAARC designated 2007 as "Green Year" and "South Asia Year of
Tourism".
The leaders designated 2008 as "SAARC Year of Good
Governance".
Member states are expected to intensify environmental protection
initiatives, and streamline visa arrangements and transportation
networks among SAARC countries.
Pakistan revived its proposed "Energy Ring" originally presented
at the 12th SAARC summit in Islamabad in 2004.
Pakistan remains in the lead in this sector. It has already set
up a regional energy center, which has made impressive progress in
recent years.
Afghanistan's membership in SAARC and future observer status for
Iran have raised hopes for the Iran-India-Pakistan energy
pipeline.
Since SAARC's creation in 1985 to promote economic cooperation,
the association has not only expanded in size and scope. It has
moved towards dealing with the critical issues of food security and
terrorism. This new cooperation reflects the South Asian nations'
growing confidence and mutual good will.
The author is associate professor with the School of
International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New
Delhi.
(China Daily April 12, 2007)
