18th Saarc Summit: A partial success

ALTHOUGH initially there was some sense of frustration about lack of progress on three possible agreements, finally it looks like the Saarc leaders have been able to pen one agreement on the framework of energy cooperation. So I would brand it as a semi-success. Others -- the motor vehicle agreement and railway cooperation agreement -- may not have been signed but the optimism is still there as none of the countries have bluntly rejected it, but asked for more time. Iwould personally put them in the pending box. So with two agreements pending and one signed I would say from a general point of view that the Summit was successful to some extent.

The atmosphere could have been much better if the gestures, postures and the style of exchange of greetings between some heads of states were friendlier. In a regional summit like that of the Saarc, or any other for that matter, the body language and gestures are important as they may hint at the nature of outcomes. But they sent out negative vibes. This is in stark contrast to the very nature of the Summit's goal, and especially when Saarc is mostly about regional cooperation, collaboration and integration. Some of the statements issued may have also generated some negative vibes. These could have been more positive in outlook.

Some leaders should have avoided the unfriendly gestures. This has resulted in casting a negative shadow which could have been avoided. In terms of deliberations the leaders should have been more proactive and positive too.

Candidly speaking, Saarc may not have live up to the expectaions of the region's people in general but the potentials are very much there. In terms of bi-lateral relations, India-Pakistan ties have always influenced the outcome of Saarc summits. This time, with new PMs of the two countries, the possiblity for brushing away the past was there. We shouldn't underestimate the fact that Pakistan and India are two significant countries within the Saarc system, so when the two elephants fight it's the grass that suffers. Having said that, the mistrust behind Indo-Pak  relations is actually disliked by the Saarc citizens as a whole. This consciousness is growing by the day. They now desire to see more cooperation, better understanding and more productive relationships between all the Saarc countries so that Saarc can deliver on its promises.

Moreover, optimistic notes can still be exchanged between the heads of states of Saarc.

The writer is a former diplomat.