The Hindu : Front Page : SAARC summit put off

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

SAARC summit put off

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 30. The Bangladesh Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia, has postponed the January 9-11 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in view of the tsunami that had struck some member-countries.

This was conveyed to the Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran, by his Bangladesh counterpart, Shamsher Mobin Choudhry, today, the External Affairs Ministry spokesman announced. "This is a gesture which is appreciated in India," the spokesman said adding that new dates would be worked out in due course.

According to official sources, the summit was rescheduled after the Bangladesh held consultations with member-nations. The Sri Lankans are reported to have conveyed their inability to attend the summit.

Initially, the Bangladeshis were keen on pushing ahead with the summit, with the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary holding a meeting with SAARC envoys on Monday in Dhaka, seeking their cooperation to go ahead with the meeting.

India, too, concurs with the view that the summit should not take place at a time when at least three SAARC nations have been hit by the tsunami.

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