Date:20/11/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/20/stories/2002112001841200.htm

National

Discussion on SAFTA draft important

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI Nov. 19 . As the final word on the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee's possible trip to Islamabad for the SAARC summit is awaited, senior officials from the SAARC nations will meet in Kathmandu to discuss a South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) draft treaty.

According to informed sources, senior officials will hold discussions on November 29-30 in Kathmandu on the draft framework, in a bid to meet the deadline imposed by the SAARC summit. "No final decision has been taken on whether or not the Prime Minister will travel to Islamabad. Progress, or the lack of it at this meeting, will prove to be an important input to the final decision," the sources maintained. India's point has been that Pakistan is thwarting economic progress within SAARC as demonstrated by its lack of seriousness in the negotiations on SAPTA. And, in such a situation, what purpose will be served by holding a SAARC summit?

The debate on the SAARC front within the Government is intensive. Various pros and cons are still being considered. Should the Prime Minister go to Pakistan at a time when cross-border terrorism continues? How long can the Government hold off talking to Pakistan?

Did not Mr. Vajpayee go to Lahore when "jehadis'' continued to attack India and was not the Pakistani President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, invited to Agra? As the debate continues, it is clear that the focus is not so much on SAARC as the bilateral India-Pakistan "angle'' before the proposed January summit in Islamabad. The SAARC process is weak and there is little "push" to move it ahead in a productive manner.

In that sense, if the SAFTA draft is agreed to by the SAARC countries, then the leaders will have something to "show'' or talk about at the proposed Islamabad summit.