The just concluded SAARC Ministerial Conference in Islamabad took a number of impressive decisions that, given the organisation's history, may sound as mere talk sans substance. Mere talk though is also a sign of progress as long as the two main feuding parties within the organisation, namely Pakistan and India, keep talking to one another rather than at each other.
Hence, a notable feature of the conference was a new air of amity and hope as reflected by the ministers of the two South Asian rivals. Even when, at a post-conference briefing, journalists tried to draw out Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri, on some urgent issues of contention, in particular India's fencing of the LoC, he tried to steer the discussion back to SAARC-related issues, saying, "Let us not take the focus away."
He also explained that Pakistan has registered its protest repeatedly "wherever it matters," clearly implying that SAARC was not the right forum to bring up the issue. That attitude, doubtless, is indicative of a positive change in Pak-India relations, and can be expected to have an invigorating effect on regional co-operation.
The conference decided to strengthen co-operation in the fields of information technology and telecommunications. It also approved a plan of action, prepared by the working group on energy, authorising a meeting of SAARC energy ministers to consider the recommendations of the group, and announced the establishment of a SAARC forestry centre in Bhutan.
Some other proposals regarding economic integration, poverty alleviation, infrastructure development and parliamentary exchanges were referred to relevant regional mechanisms and institutions for consideration. Also, conscious of the fact that larger gains are to be had through trade with other big regional economic co-operation blocs, the conference resolved to look into the modalities for establishing dialogue partnerships with regional bodies and states outside the region.
These decisions may take a while to become effective, but the important thing is that there is a discernible recognition in both Pakistan and India of the fact that they must overcome their disputes if they, along with other countries of the region, are not to be left behind in the global march towards progress and development.
Economic issues and politics, of course, will remain intertwined, but unlike the past when politics took precedence over economic considerations, there is now a realisation that it must not be allowed to block economic progress. That is why bilateral conflict resolution process is moving ahead in a systematic and smooth fashion. It is no coincidence that India just recently dropped its reservations on the Iranian gas pipeline passing through Pakistan, and is now actively seeking to resurrect the project.
It has also been evincing interest in a gas pipeline that is to bring Turkmen gas through Afghanistan to Pakistan. It has proposed that the supply of this gas be extended not only to India itself but taken onward to Bangladesh to meet the energy needs of that country. That though is only a small part of the bigger plans to connect South Asia with the abundant energy resources of Central Asia.
The hope, as expressed by some Indian leaders, is that India will become an important supply route of Central Asian oil and gas for countries in the east. Hence the importance of the energy group within SAARC.
Needless to say, that exercise can become useful only if the Pak-India peace process keeps moving forward. That will also help these countries free substantial economic resources from the unproductive enterprise of building formidable military arsenals and to devote the same to alleviate the sufferings of their teeming poor.
The amiable atmosphere at the Islamabad ministerial conference has created a new optimism that these goals may indeed be achievable in not-too-distant a future.