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SAARC and Regional Cooperation in South Asia

SAARC and Regional Cooperation in South Asia. Dr. Nishchal N. Pandey. History. Set-up in 1985 to promote welfare of the people and improve their quality of life 17 Summits till date, little progress on trade, investment, cooperation Has succeeded in generating South Asian consciousness.

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SAARC and Regional Cooperation in South Asia

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  1. SAARC and Regional Cooperation in South Asia Dr. Nishchal N. Pandey

  2. History • Set-up in 1985 to promote welfare of the people and improve their quality of life • 17 Summits till date, little progress on trade, investment, cooperation • Has succeeded in generating South Asian consciousness

  3. Areas of Work • Agriculture • Bio-technology • Culture • Education • Scholarships • Visa-Exemption scheme • Environment • People to People contacts

  4. Economic Cooperation • Agreed on SAPTA but could not realize its objectives • SAFTA is too slow and restrictive (sensitive lists) • Vision of a customs union, common market and economic union • Poor connectivity and poor border infrastructure

  5. Hurdles for Regional Cooperation • Indo-Pak hostility (3 wars since 1947) • Tit for tat game has affected SAARC’s progress • Pakistan accuses India of aggression in Kashmir, India accuses Pak. Of externally sponsored terror • India also accuses Pak. Of fake currency which Pak. Has denied • India’s relations with smaller neighbors also function like traffic lights • LTTE, Nepali Maoists, Bangladesh Liberation, Insurgencies and terrorism, Afghanistan’s insecurity • Individual state(s) have not left their nationalistic postures • Need for an European model of supra-national body

  6. Examples of Some Achievements • Periodic Summits and Retreats have provided avenues for meetings • Connectivity has increased • South Asian University • Apex Bodies and Recognized bodies are doing good work • Common policy in international forums

  7. Weak Secretariat • Powerless and weak secretariat • 8 Directors representing their foreign ministries • Secretary General only senior among equals, unlike ASEAN-OAU-Arab League or EU • Charter is restrictive on bilateral issues and internal political issues. • Mandatory on consensus approach

  8. Observers of SAARC • Afghanistan was inducted as 8th member at the 13th Summit held in 2005 in Dhaka. • China and Japan were included as Observers in the same Summit • Mauritius, Iran, U.S., EU, Australia, Myanmar, China, Japan, Korea are 9 Observers • Observers want more role and authority • China-South Asia Fourms

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