SAARC initiatives caught in Indo-Pak logjam; Modi, Sharif come face-to-face at the retreat

Cricket77

Editor

posted on 9 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

32
views

Since Pakistan has stalled the inking of SAARC connectivity, the leaders are expected to convey their keenness to ink the pacts.

Kathmandu: In the last ditch effort to push Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif to ink the regional connectivity agreements, all heads of the SAARC nations are meeting in Dhulikhel in Kavre district, 20 km east from Kathmandu for a retreat. The retreat is a tradition of SAARC Summit where leaders hold private, unofficial bilateral and multilateral talks in a relaxed and more informal atmosphere.

Since Pakistan has stalled the inking of SAARC connectivity on the pretext that they have not completed the "internal process", the leaders are expected to convey their keenness to ink the pacts.

SAARC retreats are ideally organised outside the summit venue in resorts and hotels where the leaders can relax and discuss the bilateral and multilateral agendas. It also provides an opportunity to quell disagreements on unresolved issues.

Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey had said on Wednesday that "there are some roadblocks and we are working to clear them." He also said his country will make all efforts to ensure that the connectivity pacts, including the motor vehicle agreement, are signed before the SAARC declaration.

"What was anticipated had not happened here. Virtually everybody who met the Prime Minister felt that this will not augur well for the organisation. They were looking a possible review of the current situation given that the leaders will meet tomorrow at a retreat. They will informally perhaps raise these issues and convey their sentiments. This could be raised as a major discussion point at the retreat tomorrow," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had said on Wednesday.

While no structured meeting has been planned between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, the MEA has maintained that an informal meeting between the two leaders cannot be ruled out. Tensions between Modi and Sharif, however, was evident during the SAARC summit on Wednesday.

Pakistan on Wednesday blocked three key pacts pushed by India. It also sought to include China in SAARC which India rebuffed. India is likely to seek cooperation with all SAARC member nations separately.