Beijing: China on Wednesday said it would like to
establish "more pragmatic and effective cooperation" with
SAARC to play a constructive role in promoting regional peace,
as it pushed for a dialogue partner status in the grouping.
Recently Vice Foreign Minister, Zhang Zhijun attended the
eight-nation SAARC meeting at Maldives, Chinese Foreign
Ministry, spokesman, Liu Weimin told a media briefing here
today answering a question on reports of China's interest in
becoming a dialogue partner of SAARC. China values its
relations with SAARC.
Elaborating on China's stand in this regard he said would
like to establish a more pragmatic and effective cooperation
mechanism with SAARC so as to play a constructive role in
promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity, he said.
"Since China became an observer of SAARC in 2006, we are
quite satisfied with level of relations between China and
SAARC. Cooperation between two sides has been developing
smoothly and we always respect SAARC’s will and treat it on
basis of equality and mutual benefit," he said.
China was admitted as observer in SAARC along Australia,
European Union, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Myanmar
and United States.
The joint declaration issued at the end of the SAARC
summit this month in Maldives said that the issue of dialogue
partnership would be reviewed before the SAARC Ministers
meeting next year.
SAARC member states included, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Nepal, Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 23:45