Bhutan summit could have been better utilised
By talking only to each other, India and Pakistan snubbed other members of Saarc
India and Pakistan have chosen numerous moments to draw up a road map for constructive dialogue. Each time there is speculation that the two countries are putting out feelers about discourse, everything else pales into insignificance.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit, organised in Bhutan, is a recent case in point. The summit, which should have addressed the concerns of all the nations present, fell by the wayside because the prime ministers of India and Pakistan went for a walk in the woods and simply talked about talking to each other in future.
As responsible as they claim to be, both these nations should be mindful about the concerns of their neighbours and the basis for the summit.
A number of factors should have been addressed in Thimphu. It was an opportunity for member states to call for a comprehensive review of the ‘on-the-ground' effectiveness of Saarc and the areas in which it could make a difference in the region and the world.
South Asia is currently one of the most dynamic regions in the world and has a key role to play in multiple fields, through cooperation among the member nations.
A few areas of concern are green investment and development, democracy and human rights, food and energy security and fostering inter-cultural exchange. After this, an effective conversation between the two nuclear powers should have been on the agenda.
The Thimphu summit marked the silver jubilee celebrations of Saarc. The organisation was formed in Bangladesh in December 1985, with the aim of eradicating poverty and improving the living standards of 1.5 billion people of the region, through mutual cooperation.
None of these lofty goals have been achieved — which is why talking to the team, rather than just to each other, should be equally important for India and Pakistan.
