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ISLAMABAD: Stage is set for the historic SAARC Summit, the 12th in sequence — which takes place — in the fascinating Capital city of Pakistan — Islamabad today, Sunday.

Credible sources told ‘Pakistan Times’, the first independent Daily Web Newspaper of Pakistan — Saturday — that the moot may prove ‘a turning point’ to improve relations between the two nuke-neighbours, India n’ Pakistan, which have — by n’ large — faced a risky scenario due the non-settlement of the Kashmir dispute — which has been the key irritant for perils to peace in the region.

Backdrop

On this topic — the two countries have — even fought three wars in 1948, 1965 n’ 1971 — and yet another was perceptible, last year — when Indian created an eyeball-to-eyeball perilous setting by amassing its troops along the frontiers n’ working boundaries, edging Pakistan as well as on the Line of Control [LoC] in the disputed Himalayan State of Jammu n’ Kashmir — with a pretext of ‘an assault’ on the edifice of its Parliament in December — 2001. However, New Delhi withdrew its forces — back to barracks, almost a year ago.

This course was followed by peace overtures — in the shape of Confidence Building Measures [CBMs] — mostly set off by Pakistan for ensuring an environment of durable peace in South Asia for the eventual affluence of its’ billion-plus populous.

As a result, Pakistan not only announced a unilateral cease-fire on the LoC but also elsewhere — side by side — opening vistas for diverse links to facilitate the people of the two countries travel conveniently by road, rail and even through airlines. Whereas the bus service already stand resumed, the re-establishment of the air-link is expected on January-1, almost 3-days ahead of the SAARC moot n’ the resumption of rail-service by Januray-15.

A few weeks ago, President Pervez Musharraf — in a interview with a British news agency — beamed yet another step by emphasizing ‘flexibility’ — both by India n’ Pakistan on the Kashmir issue — in a way which could reflect the aspirations of Kashmiris, the key party to the dispute.

While this gesture of the President of Pakistan has been well-adored on global level — even by the people of the Jammu n’ Kashmir State — on both sides of the LoC, the top Indian leadership has not — so far — opened its’ mindset vis-à-vis this proposal except an insignificant n’ minuscule comment from AB Vajpayee — wherein he has, of-late repeated the old rhetoric — linking such an imperative offer by Pakistan — with the so-called ‘cross-border infiltration’ or other way-round — what New Delhi phrases as end of ‘cross-border terrorism’ — despite the fact that the process of cease-fire continues to remain intact and effective.

Amid such a situation, analysts — however — depict optimism that the SAARC summit shall prove to be a grand success for peace in South Asia, if a face-to-face contact gets established between the top leaders of the two countries — aimed at a meaningful dialogue’ during the 3-day meeting.

Council of Ministers finalises draft Agenda

The SAARC Council of Ministers on Saturday finalised the draft agenda including Social Charter, SAFTA, Summit Declaration, Additional Protocol on Suppression of Terrorism and Eradication of Poverty.

Describing the two-day meeting of Council of Ministers of SAARC as successful, Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Mr Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri said, it was held in a spirit of accommodation and cooperation.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr Kasuri hoped, the 12th SAARC Summit would be historic, considering the understanding and agreements they had arrived at.

He said a lot of people did not even dream of what they had achieved. He said the Foreign Ministers achieved consensus on Draft Declaration.
He hoped that the Summit will generate positive thinking and will improve atmosphere in the South Asian region.

Replying to a volley of questions, about the possibility of bilateral dialogue between Pakistan and India, Mr Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri hoped that improved atmosphere would lead to composite dialogue between the two countries. He said there should a meeting of minds for composite dialogue, earlier the better.

He said the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries can meet for the final round and rush on the draft which was agreed to by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in Agra.

He said then it can go to political level either to the Foreign Ministers or even higher level. He said there is no option except resolving disputes peacefully and that is possible through composite dialogue.

Representatives from the seven-member countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, are to attend.

Meetings with Musharraf

‘Pakistan Times’ understands that Pakistan has received requests for bilateral meetings for the President General Pervez Musharraf from Presidents of Sri Lanka and Maldives, Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

Requests for bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali have also been received from Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan.

No bilateral visits are, however planned immediately after the SAARC summit but some visits are in the pipeline from the SAARC region, the sources said.

Trade with India

While bilateral free trade with India remain linked with the resolution of Kashmir issue, Pakistan does not mind to have a free trade with India in the regional context under SAFTA, which is being finalized by experts for its possible adaptation at the SAARC summit.

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, in a pre-SAARC orientation session with media men did not agree with impression that Pakistan by entertaining SAFTA will move from its traditional position that free trade with India will be possible after the resolution of Kashmir dispute.

Policy on Kashmir

'No our policy on Kashmir remains unchanged. What we are talking is to have free trade with India in regional framework and not bilaterally', diplomatic sources said with a hope that SAFTA will be adopted by the Summit.

Authentic sources ruled out possibility of any one-on-one meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders saying 'at this point of time there is no indication or request from Indian side.'

SAARC Objectives

Giving out the objectives of the SAARC summit he said alleviation of poverty and eradication of its extreme forms will take the centre stage at the three-day SAARC summit beginning in Islamabad on the 4th of next month.

Three comprehensive reports on poverty alleviation by the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation, SAARC Secretary General and the SAARC Finance Ministers will be submitted to the 12th Summit for approval.

Other areas of focus will include agreements and conventions of suppressing terrorism, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance, trafficking in women and children, and child welfare.

The Foreign Secretary said it will be Pakistan’s endeavour to work for the approval of SAARC Social Charter during the summit. The charter will seek to promote participatory governance, equitable distribution of income and universal respect and promotion of human rights.

Economic Sector

In economic sector, he said SAARC is now looking towards a more ambitious undertaking of creating a South Asia Free Trade Area. A draft framework agreement is still under negotiations. Its finalization is on hold due to the insistence by a member state for enhanced special and differential treatment for the less developed countries.

Schedule of the Summit

Giving the summit programme, the Foreign Secretary said the Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali will deliver his inaugural address today, January-4. This will be followed by adoption of the agenda, election of Prime Minister of Pakistan as Chairman. There will be statements of the heads of state and government as well as the SAARC Secretary General at the inaugural session.

In the evening, the summit leaders will jointly call on the President General Pervez Musharraf who will host a banquet for them later. Tomorrow, SAARC heads of state will meet in a retreat in Islamabad for about two hours which will include lunch and a cultural programme and the Prime Minister will host a dinner for them in the evening.

Treaty n' Agreements

The events of the last day include signing of a treaty and agreements, subject to prior approval, adoption of the Summit Declaration, decision for venue of the next summit and the Pakistani Prime Minister’s concluding address.

Towards the end of the summit, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali will hold a media conference.

Analysts say that Pakistan is committed to enhancing the centrality and efficacy of SAARC for promoting regional cooperation. Islamabad believes in the vitality, viability and visibility of the SAARC process to achieve these objectives.

'During its term as Chairman of the SAARC, Pakistan will do its utmost to promote greater cooperation, coordination and consultation to strengthen the SAARC process, respond rapidly to any crisis and implement the decisions of the 12th SAARC summit with vigour, creativity and determination,' they observe.

The summit will be preceded by meetings of the Programming committee on the 29th and 30th of this month, Foreign Secretaries meetings on December-31 and January-1 and Foreign Ministers meetings on 2nd and third of January.

Perspective

Leaders of seven South Asian states are gathering for the regional summit that is being seen as a landmark event in promoting economic cooperation and waging common struggle against rising poverty in the region.

At the three-day meeting of the head of governments and states of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Pakistan will take the chair from the current chairman Nepal. The 12th SAARC summit, originally planned for January 2003, had to be put off owing to tension between Pakistan and India.

The summit comes in the backdrop of a spate of confidence building measures by the two nuclear states, specially the positive Indian response to Islamabad's unilateral cease-fire offer. The heads of states and governments have started arriving in the federal capital. The Summit is already being dubbed as 'extremely successful' following an agreement on the draft accord on free trade reached at the two-day meeting of the SAARC foreign ministers.

SAARC Islamabad Summit...Successful: Sinha

'The Islamabad summit of SAARC is indeed going to be successful and historic. We will be signing agreement on free trade and we have agreed on the additional protocol on suppression of terrorism,' Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha told reporters on Friday after the meeting.

The draft of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) has been recommended for signing by the Summit leaders by their foreign ministers.

SAARC and Charter

Formed in 1985, the tension between Pakistan and India has largely prevented the seven-member grouping to play any effective role. The SAARC charter bars discussion of bilateral and contentious issues and decisions on vital issues are taken on the basis of consensus.

However, the Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said the summit provides a 'rare and historic' opportunity for Pakistan and India to move towards a dialogue process. 'The venue of SAARC presents that opportunity and if the Indian leadership demonstrates statesmanship there is a possibility ... lead(ing) to a composite dialogue between the two countries.'

At the summit SAARC leaders will focus mainly on socio-economic issues. Creation of a free trade zone in South Asia, poverty alleviation, preventing the financing of terrorism, a social charter for social development are high on agenda of the summit.