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A Saarc meet of many firsts
NEW DELHI: The hype has gone out of Saarc, but in its place is some much-needed realism as heads
of the perennially short-of-potential regional organisation gather here on Tuesday for their annual celebration.
For the first time, perhaps, in its chequered history, there is a determination to make Saarc more efficient and effective, not by pursuing tall ambitions but taking pragmatic steps to a better life in the region.
The change is heart is palpable within the region. Last year, the Dhaka summit, postponed twice, was remembered chiefly for the "lack of trust", a definite low point. The mood this time is different ââ¬â probably inspired by India's growth, there appears to be a definite desire to log on to India's prosperity.
It helped that on Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told prime ministers of Nepal and Bhutan, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, and Bangladesh's chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, that India believed in "their prosperity lay ours", said sources present at the meetings.
For India, connectivity, trade and more people-to-people contacts will define this Saarc summit. In his welcome speech on Tuesday, Manmohan Singh is expected to announce cutting tariffs on around 4,000 items of trade with the least developed countries of the region to spur more intra-regional trade. In fact, India has been at pains to keep its Safta dispute with Pakistan out of Saarc, preferring to resolve it bilaterally, which in itself is a sign of maturity.
Improving physical connectivity through road, rail and air links will be high on India's agenda. PM will also open India's doors by unilaterally liberalising visas for tourists, businessmen, journalists etc. In fact, on Monday, foreign ministers of the member countries decided to start on that road by announcing 50 Saarc visa stickers for journalists from member countries.
Terrorism is set to dominate the agenda between the heads of state and government. Not India this time, but it was Sri Lanka that has led the charge to make Saarc a vehicle for tackling terrorism ââ¬â in the run-up to the summit, Sri Lanka has even proposed setting up an anti-terror mechanism on a regional forum. India has cleverly let Sri Lanka take the lead on this, because any Indian emphasis would only serve to propel Pakistan to take countervailing action. As it is, Pakistan foreign minister Khursheed Kasuri said on Monday that his country would much rather tackle terrorism on a bilateral basis.
But that apart, Menon said on Sunday the summit would take a strong stand against terrorism. India has even proposed to circulate a draft on a regional legal assistance treaty with extradition clauses. It will certainly run into heavy weather with Pakistan, which has already opposed it, and maybe Bangladesh, but as Menon said, it's a start.
Sri Lanka, for its part, has proposed a "coordinated naval patrolling" of the Palk Straits ââ¬â it could save many Indian fishermen from being killed by Lankan forces but also it could help in intercepting LTTE traffic. Menon said India was "considering" it.
In many ways, this Saarc summit will be a first. Afghanistan, long battered by war and terrorism, takes its seat for the first time in the South Asian region. Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday that Afghanistan would serve as bridge between South and Central Asia, giving a glimpse of where Saarc could be headed.
Iran will join Saarc as an observer from next year, a thumbs up from the region during a particularly difficult time in its history. Long obsessed with itself, Saarc has also opened up to the world ââ¬â EU, US, China, Japan, Korea all took their seats as observers this year.
Among the big decisions expected over the next couple of days will be a South Asian University ââ¬â expected to be located in Delhi. Select hospitals in all member countries will be connected on a network of telemedicine. A Saarc development fund may finally get moving, two years after India committed the first $100 million for poverty alleviation in the region, as will a regional food bank.
After almost three decades in existence, these are baby steps in regional cooperation ââ¬â but the idea here is ââ¬â smaller steps and managed expectations make regional success more accessible.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/A_Saarc_meet_of_many_firsts/articleshow/1848024.cms
NEW DELHI: The hype has gone out of Saarc, but in its place is some much-needed realism as heads
of the perennially short-of-potential regional organisation gather here on Tuesday for their annual celebration.
For the first time, perhaps, in its chequered history, there is a determination to make Saarc more efficient and effective, not by pursuing tall ambitions but taking pragmatic steps to a better life in the region.
The change is heart is palpable within the region. Last year, the Dhaka summit, postponed twice, was remembered chiefly for the "lack of trust", a definite low point. The mood this time is different ââ¬â probably inspired by India's growth, there appears to be a definite desire to log on to India's prosperity.
It helped that on Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told prime ministers of Nepal and Bhutan, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, and Bangladesh's chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, that India believed in "their prosperity lay ours", said sources present at the meetings.
For India, connectivity, trade and more people-to-people contacts will define this Saarc summit. In his welcome speech on Tuesday, Manmohan Singh is expected to announce cutting tariffs on around 4,000 items of trade with the least developed countries of the region to spur more intra-regional trade. In fact, India has been at pains to keep its Safta dispute with Pakistan out of Saarc, preferring to resolve it bilaterally, which in itself is a sign of maturity.
Improving physical connectivity through road, rail and air links will be high on India's agenda. PM will also open India's doors by unilaterally liberalising visas for tourists, businessmen, journalists etc. In fact, on Monday, foreign ministers of the member countries decided to start on that road by announcing 50 Saarc visa stickers for journalists from member countries.
Terrorism is set to dominate the agenda between the heads of state and government. Not India this time, but it was Sri Lanka that has led the charge to make Saarc a vehicle for tackling terrorism ââ¬â in the run-up to the summit, Sri Lanka has even proposed setting up an anti-terror mechanism on a regional forum. India has cleverly let Sri Lanka take the lead on this, because any Indian emphasis would only serve to propel Pakistan to take countervailing action. As it is, Pakistan foreign minister Khursheed Kasuri said on Monday that his country would much rather tackle terrorism on a bilateral basis.
But that apart, Menon said on Sunday the summit would take a strong stand against terrorism. India has even proposed to circulate a draft on a regional legal assistance treaty with extradition clauses. It will certainly run into heavy weather with Pakistan, which has already opposed it, and maybe Bangladesh, but as Menon said, it's a start.
Sri Lanka, for its part, has proposed a "coordinated naval patrolling" of the Palk Straits ââ¬â it could save many Indian fishermen from being killed by Lankan forces but also it could help in intercepting LTTE traffic. Menon said India was "considering" it.
In many ways, this Saarc summit will be a first. Afghanistan, long battered by war and terrorism, takes its seat for the first time in the South Asian region. Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday that Afghanistan would serve as bridge between South and Central Asia, giving a glimpse of where Saarc could be headed.
Iran will join Saarc as an observer from next year, a thumbs up from the region during a particularly difficult time in its history. Long obsessed with itself, Saarc has also opened up to the world ââ¬â EU, US, China, Japan, Korea all took their seats as observers this year.
Among the big decisions expected over the next couple of days will be a South Asian University ââ¬â expected to be located in Delhi. Select hospitals in all member countries will be connected on a network of telemedicine. A Saarc development fund may finally get moving, two years after India committed the first $100 million for poverty alleviation in the region, as will a regional food bank.
After almost three decades in existence, these are baby steps in regional cooperation ââ¬â but the idea here is ââ¬â smaller steps and managed expectations make regional success more accessible.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/A_Saarc_meet_of_many_firsts/articleshow/1848024.cms
