, ▁India , ▁M ald ives , ▁Nep al , ▁Pakistan , ▁and ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁ ▁SA AR C ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁seven ▁states ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Afghan istan ▁began ▁negoti ating ▁their ▁acc ession ▁to ▁SA AR C ▁and ▁formally ▁applied ▁for ▁membership ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁The ▁issue ▁of ▁Afghan istan ▁joining ▁SA AR C ▁generated ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁debate ▁in ▁each ▁member ▁state , ▁including ▁concerns ▁about ▁the ▁definition ▁of ▁South ▁Asian ▁identity ▁because ▁Afghan istan ▁is ▁a ▁Central ▁Asian ▁country . ▁ ▁The ▁SA AR C ▁member ▁states ▁im posed ▁a ▁st ip ulation ▁for ▁Afghan istan ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁general ▁election ; ▁the ▁non - part isan ▁elections ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Despite ▁initial ▁rel uct ance ▁and ▁internal ▁deb ates , ▁Afghan istan ▁joined ▁SA AR C ▁as ▁its ▁e ighth ▁member ▁state ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Ob ser vers ▁States ▁with ▁observer ▁status ▁include ▁Australia , ▁China , ▁the ▁European ▁Union , ▁Iran , ▁Japan , ▁Maur it ius , ▁My an mar , ▁South ▁Korea , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁foreign ▁minister s ▁of ▁the ▁SA AR C ▁countries ▁agreed ▁in ▁principle ▁to ▁grant ▁observer ▁status ▁to ▁three ▁applic ants ; ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁South ▁Korea ▁( both ▁made ▁requests ▁in ▁April ▁