Interview With Sanjay Majumdar of BBC

Mr. Boucher, why is the United States attending a regional South Asian Summit?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: I think, first of all, we have decided to be here -- this is a unique experience for us. And as you say, it's a unique experience for SAARC and many of the members of SAARC said this is a reflection of sort of the opening up, the branching out, the reaching out of the region. And we are certainly involved with all the countries in the region on many of these issues. This is our chance, we think, to support, to observe, to work with them on the issues that they can work together as a region.

QUESTION: Now you mentioned branching out and, of course, a decision has been made to invite Iran to next year's summit as an observer and in effect they will be attending in the same capacity as you. How do you view this development?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: Well, as you know, we have lot of skepticism about Iran's behavior and they are -- have generally made life more difficult. Things like developing nuclear weapons are a danger for people in this region as well as around the world, so now we think it bears watching. One should be careful with regard to Iran, but it is up to SAARC members to make their decisions on their organization. We leave it at that for them.

QUESTION: Now, of course, you have been engaged in this region for a while and it is an important year for the region -- elections in Pakistan possibly, and Bangladesh. What are your views and what's likely to happen and what can the United States do to facilitate democracy?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: Well, I think it is important to us to facilitate democracy. I think there are few examples in the region that show the only true stability is a democratic stability, as having a system and a set of institutions to give people their voice and let people to decide their leadership. So we are very supportive of that. We support, we work with election commissions. We have put a lot of money into the election commission in Pakistan. We are working with the other institutions that underpin democracy -- human rights commissions, anti-corruption commissions -- things like that can really support a good democracy and that's what we intend to do throughout the region.