Abstract:
The article explores causes of the frequent cancellation of
SAARC Summits and analyses its impact on the process of
regional cooperation. The Summit gives regional leaders an
opportunity to meet regularly and provides them an
environment to deliberate on issues of common interests;
decide on matters related to regional cooperation and bilateral
issues in formal or informal meetings; start or resume talks
and negotiate or sign agreements. SAARC members, however,
have not benefitted from this forum due to its frequent
cancellation. The SAARC Charter precludes discussion of
contentious issues and bilateral political problems at its
meetings in order to prevent the organisation from being
adversely affected. However, the very existence of such
problems among regional states, especially India‟s tense
relations with other members, keep derailing the SAARC
train. Over the years, domestic issues and internal political
conditions of member states also caused postponement of the
annual Summits.
