New Delhi
Bangladesh and Bhutan have decided not to attend the annual gathering of the South Asian leaders, joining India that has said it will boycott the Saarc Summit in Pakistan.
Following a September 18 attack on an Indian Army base at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that left 18 soldiers dead, New Delhi announced on Tuesday that it was pulling out of the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit that was to be held in Islamabad in November.
The decision by the three countries of the eight-member grouping will lead to its collapse.
“The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016,” the communication by Bangladesh said.
“Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad,” it said.
Bhutan also conveyed inability to participate in the summit under the current circumstances, sources said, sharing concerns over the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism.
“Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances.”
The decision was conveyed by Bangladesh and Bhutan to the SAARC Chair Nepal on Tuesday, sources said.
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