SAARC Summit to add speed to regional grouping: Morshed

DHAKA, Monday (Xinhua) The 13th SAARC Summit, to be held here on Nov. 12-13, is expected to bring some impetus and speed to the process of the regional body, a Bangladeshi high official said here.

Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan was quoted by Bangladeshi official news agency BSS as saying that Bangladesh as the birth place of the regional grouping "is keen to see the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) process succeeds, fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of the region."

The Summit will provide Bangladesh the opportunity to discuss bilateral issues with other members of the grouping on the sidelines, the minister said at the Zia International Airport before leaving for Doha, Qatar, as an entourage member of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and the leader of the Ministerial Meeting ofGroup of 77, and second South Summit.

He said the senior official meeting of the grouping will begin on Nov. 9, followed by SAARC Standing Committee meeting (foreign secretary level) on Nov. 10 and Council of Ministers Meeting on Nov. 11.

Pakistan, the current chair of the SAARC, Saturday announced the fresh date of the Summit, which was twice postponed. The Summit was first postponed following the devastation caused by thetsunami in some of the SAARC countries - India, Sri Lanka and theMaldives - and the second time because of India's unwillingness to join the Summit following dismissal of the Nepalese government.