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Re-invigorate SAARC to answer sceptics, says Kadirgamar
Foreign secretaries of SAARC countries began a two-day meeting on Thursday to discuss a host of economic and social issues with a call by Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar to revive and re-invigorate co-operation to answer sceptics seeking to write off the regional grouping as a nearly defunct body.
Foreign secretaries of SAARC countries began a two-day meeting on Thursday to discuss a host of economic and social issues with a call by Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar to revive and re-invigorate co-operation to answer sceptics seeking to write off the regional grouping as a nearly defunct body.
“There are many who say SAARC has outlived its utility and this impression needs to be laid to rest,” Kadirgamar said in his inaugural address to the SAARC standing committee meeting.
The Lankan foreign minister, however, said there might be some truth in criticism about the functioning of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), as there had been a slackening of interest in the implementation of decisions made at the last summit, held in 1998.
SAPTA was being held up, not because of any substantial differences, but only due to differences over logistics, including dates, he said, and asked the standing committee to consider ways of expediting its finalisation.
“There are many who say SAARC has outlived its utility and this impression needs to be laid to rest,” Kadirgamar said in his inaugural address to the SAARC standing committee meeting.
The Lankan foreign minister, however, said there might be some truth in criticism about the functioning of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), as there had been a slackening of interest in the implementation of decisions made at the last summit, held in 1998.
SAPTA was being held up, not because of any substantial differences, but only due to differences over logistics, including dates, he said, and asked the standing committee to consider ways of expediting its finalisation.
Bureau Report