NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Josy Joseph in Kathmandu
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee skipped the informal meeting of the heads of states of SAARC nations on Saturday evening, clearly expressing his unhappiness over Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf's attempt to steal a public relations match over Vajpayee at the inaugural session.
Vajpayee deputed External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh to attend the meeting, where the draft of the Kathmandu declaration was discussed for the last time, and finalised.
The declaration would be adopted on Sunday.
Earlier, Vajpayee had called Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is the new chairperson of the SAARC, and informed him of his inability to attend the informal meeting.
Nepal finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat said that Vajpayee offered no reason for skipping the meeting.
The meeting was initially termed a 'semi-retreat', but later termed an 'informal meeting' of the heads of states.
According to Mahat, all the states have committed to deal with terrorism in 'a comprehensive, holistic manner, particularly in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373'.
He said that the seven south Asian states have agreed that terrorism encompasses all natures of it, without any religious, regional, or humanitarian considerations.
"Violence cannot be condoned. There can be no support for violence on the alibi of religious, regional or other considerations," the leaders agreed, Mahat said.
The draft declaration also calls for the SAARC Economic Union as a long-term goal, and forum would commit itself to South Asian Free Trade Association treaty by 2002.
The SAARC would also revive its independent poverty commission that was set up ten years back, comprising eminent south Asians.
Vajpayee had called in his address to the inaugural session for a revival of the commission.
The heads of states have also directed heir secretaries and council of ministers to identify specific anti-poverty programmes that can be implemented within a specific time period.
The ministers have also been directed to conclude the social charter of SAARC soon.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
Call India
