Search the Internet          Tips

SAARC summit may be put off

The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation summit to be held in Pakistan in January may be postponed if India and Bhutan fail to confirm their participation by the end of this week.

'We may wait for another three to four days to hear from them [India and Bhutan] and then prepare a summary for the president, suggesting that the summit be postponed,' the Dawn newspaper, quoting Pakistan foreign office sources, reported on Thursday.

If the proposal is approved, Islamabad will immediately notify the SAARC secretary general, who in turn would communicate it to all SAARC member countries.

Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka have confirmed their participation in the summit which Pakistan proposes to host from January 11 to 13.

According to the SAARC charter, a summit cannot take place even if one of the seven member states decides not to attend.

PTI

EARLIER REPORT:
Vajpayee non-committal on participation in SAARC summit

Tell us what you think of this report