December 03, 2001
KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Dr.Ram Sharan Mahat flew for Colombo Monday to deliver an invitation to President Chandrika Kumaratunga to attend the delayed 11th summit of the seven nation SAARC in Kathmandu. Sri Lanka will hand over the chairmanship of the South Asian regional body to Nepal at the annual summit now being hosted from January 4 to 6.

The summit was postponed after India objected to the summit following a military take-over by General Parvej Musharaff in Pakistan in 1999. Dr. Mahat will go to Maldives and India from Sri Lanka to deliver similar invitations.

Agriculture Minister Mahesh Acharya also flew to Bangladesh Monday to hand over an invitation. He will then proceed to Pakistan and Bhutan.