Sri Lanka backs call to postpone SAARC summit

Sri Lanka has reportedly backed calls to postpone the SAARC summit scheduled to take place in November.

The 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit was?to be conducted in November in Pakistan.

However ?four nations decided to pull out of the summit, citing increasing terrorism in the region.

Four out of the eight members of the South Asian grouping – India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan – had decided to skip the Summit which is to be hosted by Pakistan from 9 to 10 November, the Indian media reported.

Nepal, the current Chair of SAARC, had confirmed receiving messages from four nations conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad. However Nepal is yet to take a decision to on the summit.

Sri Lanka has also reportedly conveyed that the Summit will not be possible without India’s participation. (Colombo Gazette)