Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will today attend the 14th Summit
of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in New
Delhi.
This will mark the first attendance by a Chinese diplomat China
gained observer status at the SAARC in 2005.
"The fundamental objective of China's policy towards South Asia
is stability, development and good neighborly relations," Li said
at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid
Mahmood Kasuri in Islamabad, before he headed to New Delhi.
Lan Jianxue, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
explained that China seeks cooperation with all South Asian
countries but that the current lack of an adequate multilateral
platform has hindered this task.
"SAARC is a high-level platform where China can meet with its
South Asian neighbors, providing an opportunity to discuss how the
countries can grow together," Lan said.
With Asia's economy developing at a blistering pace, the
momentum will be maintained through closer cooperation between its
members, including India and China, he said.
The two-day summit will highlight the regional battle against
terrorism as well as travel, telecommunications and energy.
Iran hoping to join
Established in 1985, the SAARC regroups Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with
China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and the European Union
in as observer nations. The latter may soon be joined by Iran and
its request will be discussed during a member of SAARC foreign
ministers.
Given the close ties between Iran and South Asia, it seems
unlikely that Teheran will be turned down especially since India
and Pakistan, the SAARC's two largest members, already support its
application.
Lan explained that Iran's participation in the SAARC would help
relieve the Western stranglehold currently perceived by some
members of the organization, said Lan.
However, Iran's clout will largely be dictated by India which
has close ties with the US, he added.
"Some smaller member countries are also concerned that Iran's
participation will cause more problems for the already complex
organization by adding Iran's ongoing dispute with Western
countries to the SAARC's agenda," Lan said.
However, Iran can make some attractive counter-offers since it
is already in discussions with India and Pakistan over pipeline
construction that would send Iran's natural oil resources flowing
into both states.
Some analysts predict that as the India-Pakistan relationship
continues to improve, the three-way project could be boosted with
Iran as an SAARC observer.
(China Daily April 3, 2007)
