In another snub to Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday decided not to attend the SAARC summit in Islamabad in November, leading to its collapse with three more countries of eight-member grouping decided to pull out.
Citing continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan against India, the government on Tuesday announced that "in the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."
According to sources, leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also decided not to attend the 19th SAARC summit to be hosted by Pakistan. The summit now has to be cancelled as per the SAARC charter the summit can not be held even in the absence of one head of the government.
Announcing the decision on Tuesday evening, India said that "one country" has created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the summit.
"India has conveyed to current SAARC chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016," external affairs ministry said in a statement.
"We also understand that some other SAARC member states have also conveyed their reservation about attending the Islamabad Summit in November 2016," it said.
Citing continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan against India, the government on Tuesday announced that "in the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."
According to sources, leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also decided not to attend the 19th SAARC summit to be hosted by Pakistan. The summit now has to be cancelled as per the SAARC charter the summit can not be held even in the absence of one head of the government.
Announcing the decision on Tuesday evening, India said that "one country" has created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the summit.
"India has conveyed to current SAARC chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016," external affairs ministry said in a statement.
"We also understand that some other SAARC member states have also conveyed their reservation about attending the Islamabad Summit in November 2016," it said.
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