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SAARC has so
far been a disappointment
Most of the speakers
observe at CPD dialogue
The Bangladesh Today
november 10,
2005
The South Asian Association of
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has
failed to make the desired
headway over the years since its
inception for lack of political
commitment of member states and
the dominating attitude of
India.
This was the view of the
majority of participants at a
dialogue on “The 13th SAARC
Summit in Dhaka: The Context,
Agenda and Expected Outcomes”,
organised by the Centre for
Policy Dialogue (CPD) at the
BRAC Centre Inn auditorium in
the capital on Wednesday.
Chaired by Dr Mohammad Younus,
the dialogue was attended by
diplomats, retired and serving
bureaucrats, civil society
leaders and journalists.
Former SAARC secretary general Q
A M A Rahim categorically said,
“we cannot expect any big
outcomes from SAARC as it is not
a regional organisation like EU
and ASEAN”.
The Bangladesh Today editor M
Asafuddowlah, a former secretary
to the government, said that
India, being the largest country
and strongest in power in the
region, has to assume the role
of the ‘prime mover’ to make
SAARC an effective body.
He suggested the amendment of
the SAARC charter to enable it
to hold discussion on
contentious bilateral issues and
said otherwise the forum is
bound to transform into a club
for poetry, music and vain
speechmaking.
So far, Asafuddowlah pointed
out, not a road, not a bridge,
not a university, not hospital
but only a metal fountain at the
Sonargaon Hotel traffic point
stands as the lone testimony of
SAARC outcome in the eyes of the
people of Bangladesh.
Reaz Rahman, advisor for foreign
affairs, said in his keynote
statement, that the key
challenge remains the
pre-dominance of politics over
economic issues. Despite
advances made in different
fields in SAARC nations, doubt
remains whether there is real
commitment among political
leaders, he said.
Former commerce minister Tofael
Ahmed said, “until and unless
political problems and crises
are resolved, the other problems
will not be resolved”.
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan,
however, is very hopeful about
the optimistic outcome of the
13th SAARC summit beginning from
November 12.
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