The Hindu : International : SAARC: Dhaka monitoring situation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 02, 2005

International

International

SAARC: Dhaka monitoring situation

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, FEB.1. Bangladesh has expressed optimism to host the 13th SAARC summit on schedule but said it is closely monitoring the internal political developments in Nepal where the King has dismissed the government.

The Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, told reporters on Tuesday, ``All our preparations have been complete. We're optimistic that [the] SAARC summit will be held on schedule.''

Asked if the Nepal developments would affect the holding of the summit, he said, ``we're closely monitoring the development, we are trying to contact the Nepalese Government and our mission in Kathmandu, but no contact has yet been established.''

In reply to a question, the Foreign Secretary said, the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Morshed Khan, had a telephonic conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Mahmud Kasuri, and requested him to let the Bangladesh Government know about the Nepalese Government's position. About the possibility of King Gyanendra's taking part in the summit in the changed situation, he said, ``We cannot rule it out.''

He, however, said the SAARC programming committee began its deliberations here on Tuesday while the Foreign Secretary from Bhutan already arrived in Dhaka and the Foreign Secretary of the Maldives is expected here tonight. Mr. Chowdhury also said,

the summit activities had not been slowed down in the wake of the Nepalese developments .

Asked about the Indian security team to assess the pre-summit security situation in Dhaka, the Foreign Secretary said security teams always keep on visiting on such occasions to assess the situation which is part of their job.

Mr. Chowdhury also said the opposition-sponsored hartal on Feb 3, 5 and 6 would not affect the summit.

The main opposition Awami League and its allies have called for another three days of countrywide hartal on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday to protest what it called a ``sharply worsening law and order situation.''

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