We haven’t ‘blackmailed’ SAARC movement, says Pak Foreign Secretary

July 16, 2003
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Kathmandu: Pakistan’s foreign secretary Mr. Riaz H. Khokhar has said that the SAARC Charter must be honored and respected by all member states as it is “mandatory” to hold the Summits annually.

In saying so, the foreign secretary was certainly hinting that it was not his country that had stalled the convening of the Summits in the past but it were India which, in the words of Pak foreign secretary, had blackmailed and hijacked the entire SAARC movement.’

“Every body knows as to which country in the region has at different intervals of time has derailed the SAARC process”, said Riaz Khokhar talking to the press.

” I refute the Indian allegation that the slow pace of the movement of the SAARC is due to Pakistan”, but instead we are one of the “most active partners in the movement”, added the Pakistan foreign secretary.

In effect, the Pak dignitary wished to summarily refute the charges made against his country a day earlier by his Indian counterpart in Kathmandu.

Pakistan though appeared pleased with the announcement of the dates for the next Summit in Islamabad but also concurrently expressed fears about its convening on the scheduled dates early next year.

“I am very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and hope that the Summit will be held in Pakistan as planned. However, we have seen some media reports that suggest that lack of progress on SAFTA may be used at a later stage, as an excuse to postpone the Summit once again”, continued Riaz Khokhar.

To a query of this scribe, the Pakistan foreign secretary opined that his country’s relations with the United States were “excellent and predictable”. However, he did not divulge as to what he meant by the term predictable in their bilateral relations.

On yet another query, Riaz Khokhar said that if all the members agreed then China could be brought in the SAARC movement.

Telegraph adds: India’s prime minister has made it clear that his country will attend the next SAARC Summit to be held in Islamabad.