NATIONAL 1 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Coming Closer

As tension between India and Pakistan builds, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the 11th SAARC summit

By KESHAB POUDEL

Although the Nepalese government has been working hard to prepare for the much-delayed 11th summit of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the sudden eruption of tension between India and Pakistan following last weekís terrorist attack on the parliamentary building in New Delhi has changed the mood.

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As the host country, Nepal has already sent out invitations to the heads of state/government of the region to participate in the summit. But the swiftness with which events are moving, no one can predict what will happen.

The upcoming SAARC summit has many important issues in front of it, including terrorism, girl trafficking, strategy for the poverty alleviation, and, most importantly, the SAFTA. If the South Asian leaders agree to meet, they will have an opportunity to discuss such issues after a long delay. There is also a possibility of some declaration on containing terrorism in South Asia.

As part of its final preparations, the government of Nepal has initiated steps to upgrade the infrastructure in Kathmandu. Security has been tightened in and around Kathmandu valley. Other preparations are also taking place in full swing.

Nepal is hosting the SAARC summit for second time in the history of the organization. Kathmandu hosted the third SAARC summit in 1987. Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives have already hosted the summits. Bhutan is yet to organize a summit in Thimpu.

In the last three years, the SAARC summit has been postponed twice because of tension between India and Pakistan. In 1999, India requested a postponement of the summit citing the military takeover in Pakistan.

"Despite all this happening, there is a possibility of holding the 11th SAARC summit in Kathmandu," said a former foreign secretary of Nepal. ìAs both India and Pakistan are searching for a place for a one-to-one meeting, Nepal may be ideal place to discuss their bilateral matters."

Although SAARC was formed 15 years ago to promote regional cooperation and to enhance understanding, it has not been able to do much primarily because of the traditional rivalry between India and Pakistan. SAARC was formed against the background of the cold war between the former USSR and the United States, when India and Pakistan were in rival camps.

Even after the dismantling of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the United States as the sole super power, the cold war between the two South Asian countries continues. The dispute between India and Pakistan on Kashmir has once again flared up in recent days.

India and Pakistan fought two of their three wars over Kashmir. In 1999, the two countries came close to a full-scale war in the Kargil region. India accuses Pakistan of supporting terrorists in Jammu Kashmir state, a charge Islamabad strenuously denies. As India and Pakistan both are now nuclear weapons state, any escalation in hostility or confrontation could plunge the region into nuclear warfare.

Although western countries, particularly the United States, are urging both India and Pakistan to maintain maximum restraint, there is no sign of a reduction in the tension. India has warned Pakistan of dire consequences if it failed to close the offices of two Kashmiri terrorists organization New Delhi believes masterminded the attack.

While most countries of the world are gearing up for development through regional cooperation, South Asia, with its billion-plus, largely poor population, is lagging behind because of the long-standing tension between its two largest countries.