SAARC summit postponed due to tsunami devastation
Bangladesh has expressed its intention to host the stalled 13th SAARC summit on February 7-9.
Talking to UNB over telephone this (Thursday) evening, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan said, “If possible, we will try to hold the summit between February 7 and 10”.
Khan said he received a phone call from Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and discussed possible new dates for the summit postponed due to devastating earthquake and Tsunami that severely struck South and Southeast Asia, including three SAARC countries—Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives.
In reply to a question about his tele-talk with Singh, the Foreign Minister said his Indian counterpart appreciated the “wise decision” by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for deferring the summit in the wake of the massive human tragedy.
“We’re grateful that you have taken this decision despite all preparations for holding the summit on schedule,” Singh was quoted by Khan as having said.
Singh also praised Khaleda Zia’s telephone call to Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh following the natural disaster. “We’re touched by her gesture and expression of sympathy,” Singh was quoted to have told Khan.
The Indian External Affairs Minister assured Khan of helping find new dates for the summit. He said Singh would also talk to current SAARC chair Pakistan for arriving at a consensus on the proposed dates.
“Anyway, we will set the new dates in consultation with all member countries,” the Foreign Minister said.