The 15th SAARC summit has concluded in Colombo without any excitement. Since the SAARC charter does not allow discussion of any dispute among member states or any attempt to mediate differences between them what happens at SAARC summits or deliberations prior to it deals with only fringe of what concerns the region in terms of problem of security or development. Ironically the SAARC is required to turn a blind eye to whatever goes on in the region focusing only a pre-determined agenda of some minor issues of consensus among the members. The agenda for the 15th summit elaborately prepared in advance by officials and endorsed by the foreign ministers included, poverty alleviation energy shortage, food issues and the menace of terrorism. Among the agreements awaiting approval were the charter of a 30 million SAARC development fund, charter for a regional standards organization, convention on assistance in dealing with crimes, and the accession of Afghanistan to the South Asia Free Trade Agreement. Nevertheless, observers said the real challenge facing the SAARC remained what it has been there from day one --- how to convert the forum from a ‘talking shop’, the stigma it has earned over the years, to a body which can act and act decisively. According to critics the SAARC is doomed to remain a non-starter as long as its member states do not have the political will to act together, which can happen only if they having resolved their bilateral disputes are prone to trusting each other. Thus under the circumstances it would be just wishful thinking to nourish hopes of emulating a living regional organisation like the ASEAN.
Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani arrived in Colombo at the head of a 32-member delegation, most of them economic experts. Emphasising the need to enhance Pak-India trade, foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in media seminar where his Indian counterpart was also present, if Berlin Wall could fall so can the troubles that have been keeping us apart. Trade will build new bridges, he said, which are so important between us. Promoting trade and economic collaboration to build bridges of trust was also the theme of Prime Minister Gilani’s address to the summit. However, what figured prominently at the SAARC summit was the question of terrorism in the region, as Indian Prime Minister referred to recent bomb explosions in India, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai who delivered hard hitting speech on terrorism, though not naming Pakistan as its source but implying Pakistan’s involvement as what he called terrorism now getting ‘institutional nourishment’. Prime Minister Gilani who did not respond to Karzai’s allegation said that it was the joint responsibility of all the countries in the region to get rid of the courage of terrorism. We need to fight terrorism individually as well as collectively, he said. We must coordinate our resources and expertise to fight terrorism which the prime minister said was a common threat to the peace and security in entire region.
Prime Minister Gilani has had the opportunity to meet his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on sidelines of the summit which was the ‘prize catch’ Gilani could secure under the circumstances, given the recent stress in Indian-Pakistan ties. Gilani said India and Pakistan have vowed to keep the peace process ‘alive and moving’. Gilani was also reported to have, as the Indian foreign secretary confirmed agreed to order probe into allegations of the ISI’s involvement into Indian embassy bombing in Kabul. Gilani has reported to have told the Indians that he would wish to conduct ‘independent investigations’ asking the Indians to furnish whatever evidence they had about the Kabul explosion, Gilani said that Pakistan would like to get to the ‘root of the matter’. It was a sort of mini ‘India-Pakistan Summit’, in which the two leaders took up large number of issues of mutual interest and concern. Manmohan Singh was said have been candid enough to talk about whatever complaints New Delhi had about Pakistan’s violation of the code of conduct but two sides agreed not to let these snags impair the peace process. For whatever reasons Prime Minister Gilani was optimistic enough to pronounce after his meeting Manmohan Singh that when politicians meet they make progress “I had come here to build bridges and not raise walls, he told reporters.
Does the SAARC have the chance to ever outgrow India-Pakistan contention and become a meaningful regional alliance? The on-going Pakistan India process holds the key. Resolution of outstanding India-Pakistan core issues of discord such as Kashmir does not appears to offer a possibility in the near future, but a quid pro quo between the imperative of security and development could enable SAARC to more forward at a better pace than it has already been doing.