If the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is seen as a talking shop, the reasons are not far to seek. Twelve years are over since it came into being to bring the seven countries of the region on a common platform but there is virtually nothing singular to show by way of achievement. Nonetheless, this has not prevented SAARC from issuing a joint declaration after every Summit. The Ninth Summit that has concluded in the Maldives is no exception.

Notwithstanding the bonhomie among the leaders of these countries displayed in Male, it is indisputable that SAARC lacks cohesion. At the root of the problem is the imaginary fear some countries have about India and its vision of SAARC. The pre-Summit controversy about India taking the lead to form a sub-regional group comprising itself, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan is a case in point. Though the ``growth quadrangle,'' as the foursome has been called, is aimed essentially at bringing about greater intra-regional cooperation, Pakistan demurred at it just because the initiative came from India.

Fortunately, the leaders could paper over their differences although Pakistan's viewpoint was shared by Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It is, therefore, a tribute to India's position that the declaration commits the SAARC to make the region a free trade area by the year 2001. In doing so, the Summit has advanced by about five years the very objective SAARC sought to achieve by bringing into fruition the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

The experience of the sub-group will definitely stand SAARC in good stead. While the fear that some countries have about India coveting a larger market for its goods in the region cannot be wished away, there is no doubt that the scope for trade among the SAARC nations is almost unlimited. As it is, intra-SAARC trade is only three per cent of the total trade of these countries. An increase of such trade to 10 per cent is both feasible and desirable. It is within the reach of the SAARC countries, provided they are willing to practise what they preach. It goes without saying that unless SAARC addresses itself to economic issues, it will have little practical bearing on these nations. The success of ASEAN and the willingness shown by several countries to join it is primarily because its founding-fathers had the wisdom not to reduce it to a forum for annual get-togethers.

Traditionally, SAARC declarations have tended to be statements of generalities because it is on specifics that the member-nations differ. Thus when it asks for a restructuring of the Security Council to make it more representative, it does not betray the differences they have on who from among them should get the membership of the Council. Even so, it strengthens the case for making the Council truly reflective of the present-day power equations. Similarly, it is the umpteenth time SAARC has spoken about its resolve to fight terrorism. But, then, it cannot be blamed, particularly when one of its own members has emerged as an exporter of terrorism as underscored by the recent report that there were as many as 39 terrorist training centres in Pakistan. If anything, it is a pointer to the problems SAARC encounters in living up to its own ideals.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.