ISLAMABAD: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Ministers Nov 9, failed to fix the dates for the next summit after Sri Lanka expressed its inability to host it till the total pull out of the Indian peace keeping Force (PKF) from the Island.
Consultations will now be held by Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who is the current SAARC Chairperson, with heads of Government of member states to finalize date for the fifth summit.
Conference sources said discussions on this issue ended in a dead lock after Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ranjan Wijeratne stated that Colombo did not believe in India’s commitment of complete deduction of its forces by December 31 this year. If Sri Lanka formally opts out of hosting the summit, Bangladesh will then be the likely venue, they said, reports PTI.
Indications of the Si Lankan stand were given when Wijeratne made a veiled reference Nov 8, to the IPKF presence, saying ¢¢f ever economic or military might is considered as moral right and expediency over riders contracted international obligations, it would adversely affect the SAARC spirit”.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 17, 1989
