The Hindu : New Delhi News : For first time, observers to attend SAARC summit

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Friday, Mar 23, 2007
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New Delhi

For first time, observers to attend SAARC summit

Diplomatic Correspondent

They are China, Japan, South Korea, U.S. and EU

They have access to open sessions also Afghanistan to join the grouping formally

NEW DELHI: China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and the European Union will attend as observers the 14th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in New Delhi on April 3 and 4.Preeti Saran, Joint Secretary (SAARC) in the External Affairs Ministry, told presspersons here that it was the first time observers would attend a summit meeting, where Afghanistan would also formally join the regional grouping.

Ms. Saran said the observers, if represented at the ministerial level, would be allowed to make brief statements with the permission of the chair.

The observers would have access to the open sessions as well.

All SAARC nations were conscious of the fact that the regional organisation had to move from "confabulation to implementation." So far, it had not done too well in collaborative projects. "The time has come to move toward implementation."

Connectivity issue

Pointing out that intra-SAARC trade was minimal, Ms. Saran said the issue of connectivity was central to enhance regional economic cooperation among South Asian nations. She said the SAARC leaders were expected to look at transport arrangements at the summit talks.

As part of the proposals made at the 13th summit in Dhaka in 2005, a SAARC disaster management centre was set up in India's National Institute of Disaster Management. The idea was to develop it as a centre of excellence.

Asked about the fate of the SAARC poverty alleviation fund, to which New Delhi pledged $100 million for use in countries other than India in 2004, the Joint Secretary said this proposal was still in the process of being implemented.

A South Asian Development Fund was already in existence. Now, the idea appeared to be to create a SAARC development fund which would have a "social window" for poverty alleviation.

Asked whether Iran's "application" for observer status would be considered at the summit, Ms. Saran said she was not aware of any such proposal from Tehran.

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