Hope in the winter wind

Winter in South Asia normally bring westerly winds. They may be often chilly but they are vital to the livelihood and well being of millions...

Winter in South Asia normally bring westerly winds. They may be often chilly but they are vital to the livelihood and well being of millions of people in the region dependent on the winter crops. Similarly, the SAARC summit brings new hope and promise of significant change. The summit, as the Bangladesh prime minister who will host the next summit stated, was a 8220;key watershed8221; signifying that the leaders agreed to bring in crucial changes to the way their nations did business in the recent past. The successful summit and the agreements have been welcomed across the world. Given the history of relations among the states of the region, there may be a tendency to see the declaration as just that and nothing more. But that is exactly why Prime Minister Vajpayee in his address to the summit had emphasised that history should not be allowed to shackle us from future progress.

While the summit arrived at landmark agreements on economic and social issues, the political success of the summit does great credit to the states and their leaders. Few would have expected that much progress in view of the difficult relations between Pakistan and India who went almost to war two years ago. Islamabad deserves credit for dealing with vital issues independent of the K-word. Both India and Pakistan have also bilaterally confirmed a cooperative vision for the future. The leaders of the seven countries have firmly committed themselves to eliminating terrorism 8220;in all its forms and manifestations8221;. The summit has reiterated the resolve of these nations to implement the various resolutions of the UN on terrorism so that the region would work together to get rid of the scourge of terrorism as stipulated in the 1988 Islamabad summit.

Bhutan8217;s cooperation in the elimination of terrorism from its territory against a neighbour not only came in for special mention, but also provides the model for the region to implement the promises made in Islamabad. This would be in tune with the other commitment, flowing from the UN charter, on peaceful resolutions of disputes, differences and conflicts. The summit has also opened the route to dialogue between India and Pakistan and what the two make of this would depend upon how seriously they invest the process with sincerity and dedication. For example, what will need to be seen is how far the concept of violence in the name of political aspirations would be allowed to prosper. The process of normalisation between the two key players, which started last April, has received a degree of stimulus from the summit. This may well be the last opportunity, not just for Vajpayee, but for cooperative peace between Pakistan and India.