19th SAARC summit
The 19th SAARC summit was a scheduled
diplomatic conference which was
originally planned to be held in Islamabad,
Pakistan, on 15–19 November 2016, but
got cancelled after an attack on an Indian
army camp in Kashmir.[1] The summit was
to be attended by the leaders of the eight
SAARC member states and
representatives of observers and guest
states.
19th SAARC summit
Host country
Date
Pakistan
November 15–19,
2016[a]
Cities
Islamabad
Participants
N/A
Follows
18th SAARC summit
Precedes
20th SAARC summit
Website
Saarc (http://saarc-se
c.org/SAARC-Summit/
7/)
Following the rising diplomatic tensions
after the 2016 Uri attack, India announced
its boycott of the summit, alleging
Pakistan's involvement in the attack. Later,
Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Bhutan also
pulled out of the summit.[2] culminating in
an indefinite postponement of the summit.
Background
Following the 2016 Uri terror attack, India
cancelled its participation in the 19th
SAARC summit, alleging Pakistan's
involvement in the terror attack.[3][4]
Reactions by member nations
Bangladesh also pulled out of the summit
in Islamabad. The Bangladeshi Foreign
Ministry conveyed to the SAARC Chair
Nepal that Pakistan's increasing
interference in Bangladesh's domestic
affairs is inimical to the interest of
Bangladesh and under such
circumstances it is not possible to
participate in the summit at Islamabad.[5]
The ministry maintained that "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".[6]
Afghanistan announced its withdrawal
from the summit, stating, "Due to
increased level of violence and fighting as
a result of imposed terrorism on
Afghanistan, (President) Ashraf Ghani with
his responsibilities as the Commander-inChief will be fully engaged, and will not be
able to attend the Summit."[7]
Bhutan also withdrew from the summit.
The country stated that the "recent
escalation of terrorism in the region has
seriously compromised the environment
for the successful holding" of the summit.
The Bhutanese government added that it
also shared the concerns of some
member states on the "deterioration of
regional peace because of terror".[2][7]
Sri Lanka, backing a call for postponing the
19th South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Pakistan,
said the prevailing environment in the
region was not conducive for holding the
event.[8]
The Maldives, which initially refrained from
boycotting and instead urged a conductive
environment be created for the summit,
later boycotted the event condemning
international terrorism, especially those
originating from outside.[9][10]
Nepal, the current chair of SAARC, urged
that "a conducive environment be created
soon to ensure the participation of all
member states in the 19th SAARC summit
in line with the spirit of the SAARC
charter".[11] It also asked the member
countries "to ensure that their respective
territories are not used by terrorists for
cross border terrorism".
Pakistan first postponed the conference to
a further date, citing Article X (General
Provisions) of the SAARC Charter that all
decisions at all levels shall be taken on the
basis of unanimity.[12] However, after
Maldives, sixth of the eight member
nations, pulled out, Pakistan was forced to
cancel the summit altogether.[13]
See also
List of SAARC summits
2016 Uri terror attack
Notes
a. Event cancelled
References
1. "Pakistan to host 19th SAARC Summit in
Islamabad" (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0160303224412/http://www.dailytimes.co
m.pk/national/26-Nov-2014/pakistan-to-ho
st-19th-saarc-summit-in-islamabad) . Daily
Times (Pakistan). Associated Press of
Pakistan. 26 November 2014. Archived
from the original (http://www.dailytimes.co
m.pk/national/26-Nov-2014/pakistan-to-ho
st-19th-saarc-summit-in-islamabad) on 3
March 2016.
2. "Pak isolated after India, 3 other countries
pull out of SAARC summit - Rediff.com
India News" (http://www.rediff.com/news/r
eport/india-pulls-out-of-saarc-summit-in-pa
kistan/20160927.htm) . Retrieved
29 September 2016.
3. "PM Narendra Modi Will Not Attend SAARC
Summit In Pakistan" (http://www.ndtv.com/
india-news/india-pulls-out-of-saarc-summitin-islamabad-1467221) . Retrieved
29 September 2016.
4. 3 Days After Uri Attack, India Hands
Pakistan Envoy Evidence And A Warning (ht
tp://www.ndtv.com/india-news/days-after-u
ri-attack-india-summons-pakistan-envoy-ab
dul-basit-1464745) , NDTV News, 21
September 2016.
5. "After India, Bangladesh pulls out of SAARC
summit in Islamabad" (http://www.financial
express.com/india-news/after-india-bangla
desh-pulls-out-of-saarc-summit-in-islamaba
d/394601/) . 27 September 2016.
Retrieved 29 September 2016.
6. Bhattacherjee, Kallol (28 September 2016).
"SAARC summit to be cancelled" (http://ww
w.thehindu.com/news/international/after-in
dia-bangladesh-bhutan-pull-out-of-saarc-su
mmit/article9157600.ece) . The Hindu.
Retrieved 29 September 2016.
7. "Saarc summit collapses after India and
three other members pull out" (http://www.
hindustantimes.com/world-news/saarc-su
mmit-collapses-after-india-and-3-other-me
mbers-pull-out/story-kIMWfSqirGLzB6MEfu
S3CN.html) . Hindustan Times. 28
September 2016. Retrieved 29 September
2016.
8. "Another jolt to Pakistan as Sri Lanka pulls
out of SAARC Summit" (http://www.thehind
u.com/news/international/south-asia/Anot
her-jolt-to-Pakistan-as-Sri-Lanka-pulls-out-o
f-SAARC-Summit/article15421034.ece) .
The Hindu. 2016-09-30. ISSN 0971-751X (h
ttps://www.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X) .
Retrieved 2017-11-24.
9. "Maldives asks Saarc nations to create
'conducive' environment" (http://www.busin
ess-standard.com/article/international/mal
dives-asks-saarc-nations-to-create-conduci
ve-environment-116100100060_1.html) .
Business Standard India. Press Trust of
India. October 2016.
10. "SAARC summit: Pak completely isolated
as Maldives joins four other nations to back
India's stand" (http://zeenews.india.com/ne
ws/india/saarc-summit-pakistan-completel
y-isolated-as-maldives-backs-indias-stand_
1935387.html) . Zee News. 2016-09-30.
Retrieved 2017-11-24.
11. "Create conducive environment for
participation of all member states in Saarc
summit: Nepal" (http://timesofindia.indiati
mes.com/india/Create-conducive-environm
ent-for-participation-of-all-member-states-i
n-Saarc-summit-Nepal/articleshow/545722
85.cms) . The Times of India. 29
September 2016. Retrieved 29 September
2016.
12. "Charter of the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation" (https://web.archive.
org/web/20180219045403/http://www.wip
o.int/edocs/trtdocs/en/saarc/trt_saarc.pd
f) (PDF). Archived from the original (http://
www.wipo.int/edocs/trtdocs/en/saarc/trt_
saarc.pdf) (PDF) on 2018-02-19. Retrieved
2016-10-01.
13. "SAARC summit to be cancelled" (http://ww
w.thehindu.com/news/international/SAARC
-summit-to-be-cancelled/article15004093.e
ce) . The Hindu. 2016-09-28. ISSN 0971751X (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0971
-751X) . Retrieved 2017-11-24.
External links
Official website (http://www.saarc-sec.o
rg/)
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=19th_SAARC_summit&oldid=1161245288"
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