Islamabad set to host the SAARC summit amid tight security

[January 2, 2004 - 10.00 GMT] 

President Chandrika Kumaratunga would be among the seven SAARC heads of states and governments attending the 12th SAARC Summit from January 4 – 6, 2004 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The Summit held after a year’s delay is to bring the Pakistani and Indian leaders face to face after they warmed up to each other in the past eight months, the thaw has been welcomed by the rest of the grouping.

The other five nations have often expressed the view that regional cooperation, the original goal of SAARC was always put on the back burner due unresolved contentious issues between the two big member nations India and Pakistan. The SAARC charter does not allow contentious issues between states to be discussed at its summit.

The SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] is a regional association of seven South Asian countries viz Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which came together in 1985.

PRINT THIS STORY

Contact Information: Send mail to gosl@presidentsl.org with questions or comments about this web site. 
Last Updated Date: January 02, 2004  -10.00 GMT.