Sushma Swaraj likely to attend SAARC council of ministers’ meeting in New York

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to attend an informal meeting of SAARC Council of Foreign Ministers on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York later this month, official sources said Wednesday. Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York, they, however, said her schedule is being worked out.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to attend an informal meeting of SAARC Council of Foreign Ministers on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York later this month, official sources said Wednesday. Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York, they, however, said her schedule is being worked out.

The SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) foreign ministers’ informal meeting has been taking place for last few years on the margins of the UNGA. In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said it is “engaged” with India to facilitate a bilateral meeting between Qureshi and Swaraj in New York. Both Swaraj and Qureshi will be in New York next week to attend the UNGA.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years following a spate of terror attacks in India by Pakistan-based terror groups. India has not been holding official talks with Pakistan following the attacks. Asked about possibility of India participating in SAARC summit if it is organised, the sources said it will not change its position unless Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism.

The last SAARC Summit in 2014 was held in Kathmandu, which was attended by Modi. The 2016 SAARC Summit was to be held in Islamabad. But after the terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to “prevailing circumstances” and stepped up diplomatic pressure on Pakistan. The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the Islamabad meet.

Newsletter

Prime Minister Modi inaugurates Atal Tunnel - longest tunnel above 10000 ft

Ladakh: The Prime Minister today inaugurated the Atal Tunnel and took the inaugural drive through in the 9km long tunnel...

Orissa High Court Order regarding migrant workers entry into Orissa put on hold by the Supreme Court

The Orissa High Court order to permit the entry of migrant workers only if they tested Negative for COVID-19 was put on...

Coronavirus Lockdown - First Flights To Bring Back Indians Stranded Abroad Land In Kerala

On Monday, the central government announced plans to begin a massive repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad, dubbe...

Reacting to Trump's retaliation threat India allows Hydroxychloroquine export

In a move after Trump's threat to retaliate if India fails to send medicines, India has lifted ban of export of ess...

All Domestic Passenger Flights Suspended from Midnight Tomorrow

The operations of all domestic schedule commercial airlines will stop operations from 23.59pm on March 24, a government...

Iran says it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian plane, blames ‘human error’

Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the US and Canada, citing intelligence, sa...