NEW DELHI: India has officially pulled out of the upcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference to be held in Islamabad.
“Regional cooperation and terror don’t go together. India pulls out of SAARC summit in Islamabad,” Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a statement.
“The Indian government has informed the 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,” the communiqué added.
India vowed to remain steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation but said that an atmosphere free of terror was required to move forward.
“In the prevailing circumstances the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad. We also understand that some other SAARC member states have also conveyed their reservation about attending the Islamabad summit in November 2016,” the statement added.
