Saarc and India
To be precise, looking the other direction there is much substance in Dr Rice's comments about working with India to improve the situation in this region. For example, India can act alone to reduce the trade balance with Bangladesh by reducing unfair trade restrictions over imports. About its internal political problems, it can do much to improve the socio-economic conditions of the underprivileged classes. (After all it is a class centred society). About these remedies Bangladesh has least to do from its side. It cannot decide on removal of unfair trade barriers, nor can it interfere in the internal affairs. Still, Saarc was a Bangladeshi concept. In an effective Saarc, like EU, there would be no scope for discussing such problems. However after the big neighbour was invited to G-7 or 8, Saarc's appeal might have become secondary to it.
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