Observer status tops Dhaka meet agenda

The Saarc Standing Committee will finalise the draft of modalities for admitting Afghanistan as a new member as well as guidelines for associating observers in the organisation at its meeting in Dhaka on April 11-12.

The 13th summit in Dhaka in November last year granted membership to Afghanistan and observer status to China and Japan. Meantime, the United States, European Union (EU) and South Korea have formally asked for becoming observers in Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).

Comprising the foreign secretaries from the seven member states, the standing committee will also finalise the broad vision document for the third decade of Saarc at its 5th special session.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin will preside over the two-day meet.

It will be preceded by the April 10 meet of Saarc Programming Committee that comprises senior officials of the foreign ministries of member countries.

Criteria for undertaking regional projects and guidelines for associating dialogue partners and guests in Saarc will also be finalised at the standing committee meet.

The standing committee will also look into the Saarc Charter to check if any amendment is necessary, as the charter does not have any provision for inclusion of new members or observers.

If needed, the foreign secretaries will make necessary recommendations for Saarc Council of Ministers Meeting to be held in Dhaka in June or July this year. The council comprises the foreign ministers of Saarc states.

The foreign secretaries at their meeting would also review the strategies approved at the 13th Saarc Summit to eradicate poverty and root out terrorist elements from the member states and the effects of Safta (South Asian Free Trade Area) agreements for promotion of economic and trade cooperation.

Foreign ministry sources said after finalising the modalities and guidelines, the Saarc Secretariat will seek formal applications from Afghanistan, China and Japan for their inclusion in the association.

The standing committee might refer the cases of USA, EU and South Korea to the Saarc Council of Ministers Meeting.

Since Afghanistan, China and Japan have been included as member and observers, there may be no objection to granting observer status to these three new applicants, a high official of foreign ministry said preferring anonymity.

The applications of US, EU and South Korea may be taken up during the next Saarc Summit to be held in India next year for the approval of the summit leaders, the official said adding that the Saarc Council of Ministers may grant these countries observer status earlier if the heads of state or government give clearance in the meantime.

The new member and observers will be allowed to join the summit and other meetings from the14th Saarc Summit next year.

Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher said the US wants to work actively to promote free trade in the South Asia region.

"We recently approached the Saarc's secretary general for observer status," Boucher told businessmen and reporters at a meeting organised on Friday in New Delhi by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

"Safta is an opportunity for all the countries of South Asia to help make free trade in the region a reality and to establish links to Central Asian organisations," he said as reported by the Times of India.