The History And Evolution Of Saarc Politics Essay

The History And Evolution Of Saarc Politics turn outThe southwestern Asian association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) comprises eight countries of second Asia, i.e. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. The conception of theatrical roleal cooperation in South Asia was premiere mooted in May 1980 by Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman. President Rahman addressed letters to the Heads of Government of the countries of South Asia, presenting his vision for the hereafter of the domain and the compelling arguments for regional cooperation in the context of evolving world-wide realities. The Foreign Secretaries of s counterbalance countries in South Asia met for the first condemnation in Colombo in April 1981 and identified louver broad beas for regional cooperation. A series of meetings followed in Nepal (Kathmandu/November 1981), Pakistan (Islamabad/August, 1982), Bangladesh, India (Delhi/July 1983) to heighten regional cooperation. T he next step of this procedure was the Foreign Ministers meeting in New Delhi in 1983 where they take the result on South Asian Regional Cooperation (SARC). During the next two historic period South Asian nations committed themselves to form this South Asian alignment and the process culminated in the First SAARC Summit held on 7-8 December in 1985 in Dhaka where the Heads of accede or Government of seven countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka adopted the direct form everyy establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).It is an Association establish on the consciousness that in an increasely interdependent world, the objectives of peace, freedom, genial justice and economical prosperity argon stovepipe achieved in the South Asian region by fostering plebeian understanding, good friendly transaction and meaningful cooperation among the Member States which are bounds by ties of story and cultureThe obje ctives and principles contained in the SAARC withdraw are as followsObjectivesa) To shape up the well-being of the hoi pollois of South Asia and to improve their reference of lifeb) To accelerate economic growth, cordial get ahead and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realise their beneficial potentialc) To promote and strengthen incorporated self-reliance among the countries of South Asiad) To contribute to joint trust, understanding and appreciation of one an opposites problemsd) To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fieldse) To strengthen cooperation with different developing countriesf) To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common inte easings andg) To help with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.Principlesa) Cooperation within the framew ork of the Association is based on adore for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in the informal affairs of other States and mutual benefitb) Such cooperation is to complement and not to substitute bilateral or multilateral cooperation andc) Such cooperation should be lucid with bilateral and multilateral obligations of Member States.Preamble to the SAARC CharterThe preamble to the SAARC Charter spells out the intention of forming this South Asian alliance as We, the Heads of State or Government of BANGLADESH, BHUTAN, INDIA, MALDIVES, NEPAL, PAKISTAN and SRI LANKA Desirous of promoting peace, stability, amity and progress in the region through strict adherence to the principles of the UNITED NATIONS CHARTER and NON-ALIGNMENT, particularly respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, national independence, non-use of force and non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and p eaceful settlement of all disputesConscious that in an increasingly interdependent world, the objectives of peace, freedom, social justice and economic prosperity are best achieved in the SOUTH ASIAN region by fostering mutual understanding, good dwellly relations and meaningful cooperation among the Member States which are bound by ties of history and cultureAware of the common problems, interests and aspirations of the peoples of SOUTH ASIA and the ask for joint action and enhanced cooperation within their respective political and economic systems and cultural traditionsConvinced that regional cooperation among the countries of SOUTH ASIA is mutually beneficial, desirable and requisite for promoting the welfare and improving the quality of life of the peoples of the region Convinced nevertheless that economic, social and technical cooperation among the countries of SOUTH ASIA would contribute significantly to national and collective self-relianceRecognising that increased coop eration, contacts and ex channelizes among the countries of the region result contribute to the promotion of association and understanding among their peoplesDo hereby agree to establish an organization to be known as SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION hereafter referred to as the ASSOCIATIONChanges in SAARC over a period of timeAfter more than two decades since its founding at the initiative of usual Zia-ul -Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh, the number of ingredients is being increased from seven to eight. And for the first time a member with no common border with India Afghanistan join SAARC. Also China, japan, US, South Korea and the European Union attended the Summit as observers. It is only logical that in the not very distant future Russia too will be added to the list of observers.SAARC was conceived as an organisation to promote regional economic and technological cooperation. It was expected that such cooperation, if it is sustained will lead t o increased political and security cooperation. Both in the typeface of European Union and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) the countries concerned had a shared perception of their security challenges.This did not happen in courting of SAARC. on that point was a war between two members of the SAARC in 1999 and a military confrontation in 2002. Therefore nurturing SAARC as a regional organisation has been a far more challenging task than those face by organisations like the European Union and the ASEAN.In fact one member of SAARC (Pakistan) refuses to extend the normal most favoured nation treatment to its neighbour (India) though this is a basic prerequisite under the World plenty Organisation regulations.though in that respect has been a formal agreement to vary the SAARC region into a free trade area, Pakistan and Bangladesh take aim been reluctant to light upon towards the fulfillment of that objective. In reality SAARC is largely a name square off on w ith annual rituals, not always regularly observed.While in other parts of the world, the trend is towards countries coming together to form larger markets, in South Asia this sentiment prevails only among Sri Lanka, Bhutan and India. Pakistan and Bangladesh do not contribute to the world-wide perception that countries coming together to form larger markets is a mutually beneficially proposition.In Europian countries like Germany and France got over their centuries old animosity. This happened when countries like Germany, Italy, Spain discarded their despotical regimes and became democracies. In ASEAN too Indonesia and Malaysia concluded peace after years of confrontation. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia who fought farsighted wars with the US, which was supported by other ASEAN countries have now become economic and political partners of countries which helped to wage war against them.Unfortunately such radical vicissitude has not taken place in South Asia. There are reasons to believ e that underlying this difference in development may be that religion-based identity exercises greater dominance in close to countries of South Asia than nationalism-based identity.In admitting a number of successful economic powers as observers to the SAARC, the expectation is that such interaction may help to convert the mindset of the countries which still stand regional economic cooperation and integration in a world which is apace globalising. India has attempted to get Bangladesh into a BIMSTECH arrangement consisting of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Such a change in mindset is a time-consuming process and therefore there should not be exaggerated expectations with the new beginning with entry of Afghanistan into SAARC and five new observers.The future of SAARC appears to be brighter because in the past. SAARC was buffeted by insensate War tensions and Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh were attempting to exploit the differences between India and China and India an d the US. Recent changes in the preference of US policy and the Washington perception about the need to have a balance of power in Asia and consequent need to enhance Indo-US relations have had a radical impact on Indias relations with China and South East Asia.Increasingly India is referred to as one of the sixsome balancers of power in the emerging international system. India today has a strategic partnership with Russia, the US and the European Union and a strategic intercourse with China and Japan.The visits of Premier Wen Jia Bao of China, President Vladamir Putin of Russia, Prime Junichiro Minister Koizumi of Japan and President Bush to India and invitation to India along with China to attend the G-8 summit of locomote industrial powers has helped to transform the situation in the SAARC region towards increasing cooperation.There is now better realisation that neither India-China nor India-US relations can be exploited by other nations as happened during the Cold War.In th e SAARC region democracy is gaining ground. Afghanistan has an elected government for the first time. Recent developments in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, though yet to result in full blown democracy are moving in a positive direction. In Bhutan monarchy is voluntarily transforming itself into a democracy.Some Pakistani intellectuals argue that the factor that stands in the way of regional cooperation and integration in South Asia is the overwhelming dominance of India which constitutes more than 70 per cent of the population, resources and industrial and agricultural production of the region. It is therefore difficult to correspond the evolution of SAARC with that of European Union or ASEAN. In a moxie it could be argued that India itself with its multi-culturalism, multi lingual, multiethnic and multi religious composition is like a progress integrated European Union.Political evolution within India has made it needed that India will be federally governed by coalitions of al l-India and regional parties with regional autonomy and aspirations fully accommodated. This development is bound to have its impact on the rest of the SAARC region. So will Indias rapid economic development, its aspirations to become a cognition basedsociety, its secular values and democracy.There were people in Indias neck of the woods who thought Indian unity would not survive. This conviction persuaded them not to come out in the evolution of SAARC over the last two decades. That situation is changing.Though it is unrealistic to expect any immediate radical changes in the attitudes of Pakistan and even Bangladesh towards SAARC there is no doubt that a new era of increasing integration is beginning, because of the forces of globalisation and emergence of an international balance of power.Challenges OpportunitiesThe region is full of challenges and opportunities. South Asia is home to more than 1.5 billion people associated with various racial, lingual and religious groups. So me of the main challenges and problems facing the region include poverty, illiteracy, underdevelopment, terrorism, kind-hearted trafficking, and racial and ethnic conflicts. Similarly, food and energy crises have also come out as burning issues of the region. In spite of such challenges and problems, South Asia is abundant in human as well as inhering resources. When these resources are managed and utilized effectively, the region is sure to make considerable socio-economic progress within a short span of time.The South Asian people have many reasons to be optimistic if we look at the SAARC Charter that has included all the existing realities in the sub-continent, with the countries of different sizes, various levels of socio-economic development, historic legacies between and among the nations of the region. But, when the progress made by SAARC is assessed minutely, we do not find a very encouraging picture in terms of quality of life the people in South Asia.However, SAARC is gr adually fostering cooperation among the member states in a wide range of areas. Because of its contributions to promoting peace, good neighbourly relations and bringing about socio-economic transformation in the region, SAARC has become a worthy forum among its member states. As a saying goes Rome was not built in a day, the regional forum also requires some more time to achieve its goals and objectives.