President Nasheed shoots down ‘Iran is part of SAARC’ notion, next SAARC in southern Addu

President Mohamed Nasheed The outspoken Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed shot down any notion of Iran being considered as part of ‘South Asia’.

“No, Iran may be bordering South Asia, but South Asian (identity) ends with Pakistan and at most Afghanistan, and Iran is simply not one of us” opposed President Nasheed strongly, speaking to the Asian Tribune.

By strict definition, South Asia consists of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan (sometimes) and Myanmar (sometimes considered).

But, due to its differences with Middle Eastern and Arab neighbors, Iran has increasingly & vigorously been campaigning to be part of the South Asian region. In April 2007, following Iran’s application, SAARC secretariat approved Iran for an ‘observer status.’

One of SAARC’s main concerns in admitting Iran is that it will compel SAARC to open doors to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries as well.

Declaring that the next SAARC summit will be held in the southern Addu Atoll of Maldives, President Nasheed also said that SAARC needs to re-think its direction. “I think SAARC is important.

But it should not continue in the manner we are going ahead. During the last SAARC summit I gave a speech to that effect (urging India and Pakistan to mend ties and give momentum to SAARC).

The next SAARC summit is going to be held in the Maldives in Addu. We have submitted a project called the “SAARC connectivity programme” – a coastal transport network, linking all 8 member states” he said.

- Asian Tribune -