No Saarc summit again?
For the second year in a row, there may be no Saarc summit. India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan had pulled out of the 2016 Saarc summit citing Pakistan's open support to terror that impacted all three countries. Islamabad was supposed to host the 2016 summit, which had to be cancelled. This year too, there appears to be no move to hold the summit. Saarc summits are generally held in November.
As Sushma Swaraj met Saarc foreign ministers in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session , India's disinterest in the summit was evident, which has resulted in a downgrading of the institution where India plays the lead role. With India-Pakistan bilateral relations in free-fall, it has had an impact on the South Asian body.
Swaraj did not refer to the uncertainties of the Saarc summit, but stressed the primacy given to removal of terrorism.
She cautioned that cooperation among Saarc countries "remains at serious risk due to rising number of threats and incidents" that threaten the region's peace and stability.
She said, "Regional prosperity, connectivity and cooperation can take place only in an atmosphere of peace and security in the region. It, however, remains at serious risk in the region."
"It is necessary for our region's survival that we eliminate the scourge of terrorism in all its forms, without any discrimination, and end the ecosystem of its support," Swaraj said as per a copy of her opening statement.
Swaraj added that Saarc had failed to live up to its objectives, without a free trade system in place, or any agreement on trade in services etc, which actually makes South Asia one of the least connected regions in the world. She listed the projects undertaken by India under the Saarc rubric.
Sources said Nepal, which currently holds the Saarc chair, is working on some initiatives so that a summit can be realised in 2018.
The Indian external affairs minister pointed out that regional cooperation can only be successful if it meets the expectations of the people, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
"With a significant percentage of the region's population still under poverty, SAARC needs to deliver on its commitments. Major SAARC initiatives have, however, not moved forward," she said.
India will continue to emphasise terrorism from Pakistan as a hurdle to Saarc and global peace and security, sources in New Delhi said. At the UNGA this week, India flagged the terrorism issue repeatedly in its interactions and public statements.
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