Cover Story

The Thirteenth SAARC Summit

Dr. Ravini Thakur

Enhancing Regional Solidarity

The world and foreign relations are never static. Europe is a perfect example of a continent that houses diverse cultures, regions and languages. Europe has in the past fought many wars, the second World War being the most devastating. And yet today, it has managed to bring all its countries under the umbrella of the European Union. This is a union based on a single currency and an European Parliament to legislate on issues of importance for the continent as a whole. Europe was able to show that it is possible to leave the past behind and build regional solidarity based on common interests and common principles. The emergence of the European Union has shown how regional cooperation can provide the region as a whole with international and economic stature. A divided Europe would never have been able to handle the economics of globalisation or the changed imperatives of geopolitical power after the end of the cold war. Histories and pasts can shape mindsets but they can also help change them, especially if, like Europe, we on the sub continent learn to let the past go and build on the commonalities of geography, culture and proximity.

Under the leadership of our Party President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and our Prime Minister Shri. Manmohan Singh, we have had a principled policy of non-alignment. During the seventies we were close to the Soviet Union and our relations with Russia are still built on trust. Today, India is engaging with the world as a growing economic and political power. And in fact, unlike the Left's cries, we have a truly non-aligned policy. We have good relations with Russia, China and are recreating a new relationship with America, rather than being knee-jerk anti American. We have to build new alliance and new strategic ties that enhance our national potential. After the end of the cold war, and the emergence of new states and new geographical proximities, India has also had to redefine its notions of national interest.

National interest is not ideologically driven, and in India because of the richness of our democracy, this is always defined in different ways. For the BJP, it lies in categorizing Muslims and Muslim states as anti-Indian because of their belief in Hindutva. For the Left, it resides in their anti-capitalist, anti American ideological conviction. In the belief that not national but class solidarity builds international relations. They, like the BJP have been proved wrong. Stalin and Mao thought their personas and their thoughts were equal to the nation and the aspirations of its people. The demise of both in their own countries proves them wrong. Today, the interests of China and Iran seem more important to them than that of India. They calculate our search for nuclear parity with the world as kow towing to America. That is not the case. India, like France and Germany did not support the invasion of Iraq and we still do not. These countries in siding with America are only showing their concern about nuclear proliferation. India stands by this principle. .

The Congress has always represented national interest as the middle path. One where we take the common denominator of what each interest group represents in India and from that arrive at what is good for India and for all the diversity and cultural difference that make up India. It has resided in knowing what is good for all the people of India and the world. It has resided in Humanism. We, as a Party, respect difference and the right of all to articulate that difference and yet knit that mosaic into a national identity. We give the grass roots of our country and the grass roots of each country the space to live as they see fit. We believe in peace and justice.

As Nehruji, the architect of our foreign policy once said:

What ever policy we may lay down, the art of conducting the foreign affairs of a country lies in finding out what is most advantageous to the country. We may talk about international goodwill and mean what we say. But in the ultimate analysis, a government functions for the good of the country…some people may think of the interests of their country regardless of other consequences, or take a short distance view. Others may thing that in the long term policy the interest of another country is as important to them as that of their own country…. but we propose to look after India's interest in the context of world peace in so far as peace is possible (Speech to the Constituent Assembly, 1947).

It is this wider vision of national interest that guides Indian foreign policy and also our attempts to turn SAARC into a genuine representative of the subcontinent and its diverse countries and religions.

The Role of SAARC

SAARC was established in December 1985 as an association of seven countries of the South Asian sub-continent. These are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Today, Afghanistan wants to become a member and China and Japan will be offered observer status. SAARC is run by a secretariat composed by nominees from each country. However, this secretariat does not have any real autonomy and functions essentially as an administrative office. Yet the very fact that we have an office that create space for regional dialogue is an important achievement. India can take the lead in ensuring that this office does not remain only a bureaucratic office in name. The SAARC secretariat can emerge as an important mediator for the region.

Regionalism is based on the political concept of geographically- proximate nation states coming together with the objective of forging cooperation in jointly identified areas for their mutual benefits and growth. SAARC was envisaged as a forum that would bring member countries together in a regional grouping and help create better understanding and cooperation of the political, social and economic problems that face the region. Intially SAARC encouraged cooperation in agriculture, rural development and science and technology. Things progressed further in 1993 when SAARC signed an agreement to lower tariffs within the region. Nine years later at the twelfth SAARC summit, a Free trade zone was proposed. SAFTA was seen as the next step towards regional cooperation. The leasers of each country felt that by moving forward towards economic ties, we would also move closer to better cultural and political ties. This year saw concrete steps being taken to further enhance economic cooperation. Our Prime Minister mooted the idea of an open skies policy on a reciprocal basis and also cooperated to ensure a more relaxed visa regime amongst the region. Only greater contact between people will lead to better understanding and a greater appreciation of the commonalities of civilization, language and culture that all the people of the region share. Our common sufi heritage, with its strong influence on the music and dance of the region is a case in point.

At the economic level better integration is certainly possible. Prevailing trade barriers and structural asymmetries in national economies do limit scope for trade and at this level India can do much more by providing generous concessions to least developed countries. Further regional investment cooperation can also be worked out through concrete policy measures and by providing a suitable investment climate. Labour markets can also be better integrated and countries outsource to each other. SAARC countries in this summit signed a pact to avoid double taxation and set up a SAARC arbitration council. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has proposed an the idea of setting up a SAARC university where students from each country can share common ideas and study together, thus learning from each other and building stronger ties amongst nations.

The Need for Political Will to fight Terrorism

The chief issue that continues to hold back a true and vibrant regional cooperation is the issue of terrorism. All our countries have suffered at the hands of terrorist organizations. Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India have all seen the loss of innocent lives and shattered families, the victims of terrorism. There should be zero tolerance for terrorism in the region as a whole. No country should allow its territories to be used to facilitate or shelter terrorist groups. Today there is ample evidence that both in Pakistan and in Bangladesh, Islamic and other fundamentalists have set up camps. These must be destroyed and the problems that lead to terrorism. These are the issues of massive poverty and deprivation for large population in the region. Development and growth must be accompanied by policies and structures that raise the standards of living of the majority of our population not a small few. The issues of human rights and the discrimination against women is also an important issue to be looked at. Terrorism is often the last resort of those who have failed to find recourse through legal or other measures to right their perceived wrongs.

It is here that the role of civil society can become important in ensuring that the principles which governments espouse become practice and that the rights and dignity of the poor in our country is consistently championed and fought for. It must also extend to giving our minorities and tribal populations the right to live in dignity and freedom. The social charter of SAARC is as important as its economic charter. Civil society can also do a lot to help change the mindset of fear and distrust that is common amongst the different countries. The trust deficit has to be reversed and it is only then that we will be able to claim, like Europe a true regional cooperation based on equality, trust and true cooperation.