PAKISTAN'S imransigence led to the failure of'the SAARG summit on wednesday to reach agreements on greater connectivity among the eight membernatiomt on its opening day which was marked by Prime Minister Karendra Modi firmly asking the members to ful fill their commitment to combat terrorism.
As the opening of the summit coincided with the sixth anniversary of Pakistan-sponsored 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai which left 166 people dead, Modi told his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif and six other leaders that "we feel the endless pain of lost lives. Let us work together to ful fill die pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and transnational crimes," Modi said.
Sharif on his part totally skipped any reference to the issue of terrorism, on which other leaders including new Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajupaksa spoke in their speeches
Pakistan also stalled the inking of connectivity agreements, including motorvehicle pact.saying it was yet to complete its "internal process", not withstanding SAARG countries including Sri Lanka. Bangladesh and India strongly pitching for having these deals to strengthen the
people-to- people contact and movement of goods in theregion. However. Nepal Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey told PTI that "There are some roadblocks and we are working to clear them." He also said his country will make all efforts lo ensure that the connectivity pacts, including the motor vehicle agreement, are signed before the SAARC declaration tomorrow." Stressing the need for benerconnectivity in the region. Modi said,"Our relations become stronger when we connect the lives of the otdinary citizens of our countries. That is why connectivity and serviees by rail and road are so important. We should alsoconnect ourselves more by air." He said, "For India, ourvision for the region rests on five pillars - trade, investment, assistance, cooperation in every area, contacts between out people - and, all through seamless connectivity."
While Rajapaksa said better connectivity will help economic integration and will boost people-to-people contact in the region, Bangladesh I'rime Shelkh Hasina said her country was in Favour of early signing of the regional motor vehicle and rail-way agreements and emphasised that the pacts will help trade.
In his neariy 30-minuie address at (he summit. Modi also said dial as SAARC "we have failed to move v. 11 speed that our people expect" which some argue was due to a development gap. "Or, is it because we are stuck behind the walls of our differences and hesitant to move out of the shadows of the past", he asked, asserting that, "this won't resolve our differences, hut will certainly deprive us of opportunities."
Modi assured a level-playing field to companies in the SAARG countries to do business in India.
Modiul so announeed that said India will provide immediate medical visa for patient and an attendant coming for treatment as well as business visa for 3-5 years for SAARG nations. Talking about education.Modi said India was prepared to connect South Asian students through online courses and e-libiaries and offered to extend lndia's National Knowledge Network to SAARG region when it is ready. Referring to space technology. Modi said India's "gift" of a dedicated satellite for the SAARG regionhas been planned for launch in 2016.
Underlining the need for removing the perception of "cynicism and skepticism" about SAARG, he said Indian companies were in vesting in billi on sab road, but less than 1 percent flow into the region.
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