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SAARC summit on July 9-11, all eyes on India and Pakistan

Sri Lankan officials said they have proposed July 9-11 for a South Asian summit seen as critical because it is likely to be the first time the leaders of India and Pakistan sit down together since their nuclear tests.

Tension in the region has been high since India's tests on May 11 and 13, followed two weeks later by retaliatory tests from Pakistan.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief have said they want talks, but no dates have been set. Both are, however, expected to attend next month's summit of the seven-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

Although SAARC meetings focus on multilateral trade and policy matters, leaders can hold informal bilateral talks if they desire. Members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

In Bangladesh on Sunday, a senior aide to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed said she will try to bring India and Pakistan closer together during the summit.

The date for the summit is arranged by mutual consent of the leaders of the seven member states.

Sheikh Hasina has already agreed to the dates suggested by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the Sri Lankan foreign ministry said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar met Minister of State for External Affairs Vasundhara Raje on Monday and reportedly discussed with her the tentative dates for the SAARC summit.

UNI

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