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PM may want SAARC meet put off

January 17, 2005 23:57 IST
By Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may not attend the XIII Southeast Asian Association for Regional Conference summit in Dhaka on February 6 and 7, a source told rediff.com on Monday.

It is believed that Singh has given mainly two reasons for postponement of the summit: The assembly elections and the preparation of the Union Budget.

There has been no response yet from SAARC chairman Pakistan and the host, Bangladesh, to India's request.

When contacted, a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs told rediff.com, "As of now there is no change in the PM's programme of Dhaka."

The summit was supposed to be held in January, but Pakistan rescheduled it in consultation with Bangladesh and other members to February 6-7 because of the tsunami disaster.

According to the SAARC charter, the summit is not held if even one of the members -- India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- is not able to participate.

Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi

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