Tuesday, 18 February 2014 00:01
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South Asia’s foreign ministers are gathering after the lapse of two years this week to discuss the way ahead for the region amidst increased international interest. The packed agenda also has significance for Sri Lanka since Prof. G.L. Peiris will undoubtedly consider it a platform to do some quick-fire lobbying ahead of the US resolution to be tabled at the UN Human Rights Council in two weeks.
Foreign Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries –Afghanistan, Bangladesh Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – will participate in the meeting, which will be held for the first time since 2011.
At the meet, the ministers of foreign affairs from member-states are to discuss issues related to maintaining relations with observers, granting observer status to Russia and Turkey, regional connectivity, approval of the new SAARC secretary general from Nepal, and decision on cultural ties with China and South Korea.
Increased attention is been paid to granting Russia and Turkey observer status, especially as the latter has been in the pipeline for about two years. The US, China, Iran, South Korea, European Union, Australia, Japan, Mauritius and Myanmar are observer countries in the SAARC.
During the meeting a broad range of issues are expected to be discussed including approving Arjun Bahadur Thapa, Nepal’s outgoing Foreign Secretary, as the new SAARC Secretary General. The foreign ministers are also expected to finalise a date for the next SAARC Summit that will be hosted by Nepal towards the end of 2014. The summit, which has been postponed due to political unrest in Nepal is finally expected to go ahead around November.
However, the most significant aspect for Sri Lanka will be bilateral engagement aimed at obtaining support from member countries in support of the pending resolution on Sri Lanka at UNHRC. India, reports have indicated, has given the Rajapaksa regime a tough answer and will likely remain unbending but the same cannot be said for the rest of the members.
Pakistan has already assured support and the Government will be hoping it can safely bank on a similar response from the rest. While none of the countries have the heavyweight status as that of China, which has openly supported Sri Lanka after Prof. Peiris’s much-publicised visit last week, every vote counts as the days count down.
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters the Government would tap South Korea, Japan and Middle East in a last push to get more support. Kuwait, for example, voted against Sri Lanka on the last resolution but recent visits to new member Saudi Arabia indicates the Government has not given up on the oil rich region.
The report by Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay on Sri Lanka that will be presented before the UNHRC next month was published in sister paper The Sunday Times over the weekend. It showed a repeated, among other elements, call for the Government to hold credible investigations into allegations of civilian deaths. If the Government were to follow in the footsteps of South Africa and appoint a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the report clearly calls for amnesty to be denied the wrongdoers. The tough document is one more incentive for the Government to redouble its efforts to get every vote it can.
