Some SAARC summit updates

The 16th SAARC summit is scheduled for this month end in Thimphu, the first summit of the regional body to be hosted by Bhutan in 25 years of its life. Preparations are in hectic schedule.

Gates are erected along Paro-Thimphu and Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway for welcoming guests coming to this mega event. The gates in both the sides are welcoming the guests – Welcome to the Kingdom of Bhutan. None of them have bid goodbye. Are guests staying forever in Bhutan, I don’t think.

The local authorities in Thimphu have already mobilized denizens to walk out on Saturdays to clean the city. Pavements have been repaired, drainage cleaned and plantations were carried out in some places with an effort to turn the city green as envisioned by the summit slogan.

Wall paintings are in progress. The national art competition on Climate Change theme will start in Thimphu on April 19 and will continue till April 28, the day Summit starts. Preparations are on for special welcome festivities to VVIPs.

The Royal Bhutan Army personnel are busy practicing with national anthems of the eight countries – Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.

Hotel booking in Thimphu has turned nasty after government ordered all tour operators to vacate rooms booked for their guests during the Summit time. The Minister’s enclave has been made ready to house the VVIPs.

Bhutan has restricted hosting People’s SAARC in Thimphu citing no reasons. Since 2007, the People’s SAARC is held few days before the main summit in the host country. Alleging the leaders of the eight countries for failing to address the genuine issues of the region, the human rights activists, journalists and fringe politicians created People’s SAARC. The biggest fear for Bhutan to hold People’s SAARC is the possibility of this forum raising banner in favor of Bhutanese in exile. The main SAARC body has limitations in discussing bilateral issues, thus sidelining many important issues responsible for degrading bilateral relations including Bhutanese refugees. On the other hand, People’s SAARC might not receive any Bhutanese participation if it is held in Thimphu. This time, New Delhi will host the People’s SAARC on April 22 and 23.

The other news is, on India’s proposal, other seven countries have agreed to drop the plan to include China in the regional body. Pakistan government was to propose accepting China and Iraq as new members of SAARC. However, under Indian initiatives, the other countries agreed that SAARC must first focus on implementing the agreements reached and declarations made in the past over expanding it. It was under India’s proposal that Afghanistan was included in SAARC three years ago but for proposing China’s inclusion in SAARC, India demolished monarchy in Nepal.

The SAARC members have also agreed to open observer status to more countries in 2012. Currently US, EU, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Burma are observers. Burma, Iraq and China are likely to be included in future. The world attention has been drawn into SAARC, the association of the poorest countries in the world, after the news of possible entry of China into this body.