South Asian summit to go ahead

There is a different line-up since the 1998 summit

By Sushil Sharma in Kathmandu

Nepalese authorities say that the planned summit meeting of seven South Asian states will go ahead next week in Kathmandu, despite increased tension between two of its members - India and Pakistan.

Hindu priests bless summit venue

The meeting was postponed in 1999 after the Indian prime minister refused to share the forum with Pakistan's military ruler.

But member states agreed earlier this year to hold the meeting on 4-6 January in Kathmandu.

The last Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) annual summit was held in 1998.

Meeting on

Nepal's Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat says that, despite the troop build up along the India-Pakistan borders, all seven leaders have agreed to attend the meeting.

Mr Mahat has been acting as Nepal's foreign minister since July.

He told the press in Kathmandu on Thursday that Nepal had made all necessary preparations for the summit .

After the Agra talks in July, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf were expected to meet on the sidelines of the Saarc summit.

Delhi recently cancelled that proposed bilateral session but not Mr Vajpayee's plans to attend the summit itself.

Some optimism

Mr Mahat says he hopes the Kathmandu meeting will help ease tensions between India and Pakistan.

He did not elaborate, but given the current tensions, a meeting between Mr Vajpayee and General Musharraf would offer an opportunity for face-to-face discussions.

The summit will bring together the leaders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

Saarc was established 15 years ago with the objective of promoting economic co-operation in the region.

South Asia accounts for a fifth of the world's population, the majority of them very poor.

But progress in regional co-operation has been hampered by strained relations between India and Pakistan.