Energy deal salvaged
The eight South Asian nations finally signed a deal yesterday to create a seamless electricity grid, salvaging the 18th Saarc summit that had been overshadowed by hostilities between India and Pakistan.
The development came as Pakistan gave its consent to the Saarc Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity), one of the three pacts supposed to be inked at the summit in Kathmandu.
Pakistan on Wednesday had opposed all three deals.
The other two agreements are Saarc Motor Vehicles Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst Saarc member states, and Saarc Regional Railways Agreement.
There were hectic efforts to convince the Pakistani side, which stalled the inking of the pacts on the pretext that internal processes were not completed.
The signing of the energy deal proved the point that the political will of Saarc leaders could integrate the entire South Asian region for the benefit of its people.
“A time period of three months have been set for approval to the Motor Vehicle and Railway pacts,” Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, also the Saarc chair, said in his address at the concluding session of the 18th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Under the energy deal, a Saarc Market for Electricity will be developed on a regional basis. It will explore a regional power market involving Saarc countries that already have interconnection, as well as those that have planned interlinks.
The framework energy pact will enable cooperation in the power sector among the eight member countries. It will also facilitate integrated operation of the regional power grid and create a regional energy market aimed at enhancing cross-border electricity trade among the South Asian countries.
Foreign ministers from all Saarc countries signed the electricity deal aimed at trading electricity from one country to another and installing trans-boundary power grids.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa witnessed the signing at the City Hall in the Nepalese capital.
Diplomatic sources said negotiations for the Saarc motor vehicle and railway accords might be completed in three months and signed at the next meeting of the Saarc Council of Ministers six months later.
MODI-SHARIF MEETING
PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif met briefly and shook hands during a retreat at the Saarc Summit at Dhulikhel in Kavre district, 30km east of Kathmandu.
South Asian leaders gathered there for the traditional Saarc retreat on the concluding day of the two-day summit.
Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for the Indian external affairs ministry, told the media, "The two leaders exchanged pleasantries when they met for the first time after arriving here [in Nepal]."
HASINA SKIPS RETREAT
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina skipped the Saarc retreat as she had caught cold, reports our staff correspondent Hasan Jahid Tusher from Kathmandu.
She, however, joined the concluding session of the summit at 4:00pm (Nepal time).
CURTAINS ON SUMMIT
The summit came to an end with the issuing of a 36-point declaration.
Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koriala announced the closure of the 18th Saarc summit.
The member states agreed to strengthen the Kathmandu-based Saarc Secretariat and set up a mechanism to curb terrorism, religious fundamentalism and religious extremism.
Several sub-committees will be formed to implement the past accords and agreements.
The next Saarc summit will be held in Islamabad, announced Koirala. "Pakistan will host the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in 2016," he said.
The Nepalese PM also thanked Pakistan for offering to be the host of the next Saarc summit.
The Pakistani prime minister gave vote of thanks for selecting his country as the venue of the next summit.
Comments