Nepal likely to host 18th SAARC Summit in first half of 2013

Nepal has decided in principal to host the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the first half of 2013, six months later than the regular schedule owing to political and technical reasons. The SAARC Charter states that the Heads of State or Government shall meet once a year or more when considered necessary by the member states. However, the summit is being convened in a gap of one-and-a-half years. According to Wednesday's The Kathmandu Post, the 17th SAARC summit is scheduled to be held in Maldives on November 10-11. It will make a final decision on the date of the 18th SAARC summit to be held in Nepal. Officials say the six-month margin is the result of uncertain political course and the urgency to promulgate the new constitution and hold elections for a new parliament. "We also need to vacate the Constituent Assembly building, which needs to be renovated to hold such an international jamboree," an official close to SAARC affairs told the daily on condition of anonymity. "Considering the timeline for drafting the new statute and conducting periodic elections, we have principally agreed to host the summit in the first half of 2013," said the official. Since the inception of SAARC in 1985, Kathmandu hosted two summits -- the third in 1987 and the 11th in 2002. According to the Kathmandu-based SAARC secretariat, the official engagement of the summit would begin on November 6 followed by joint secretary level meetings of the eight member states. Foreign secretaries of the member states will be meeting on November 7 and 8, which will finalize the agenda of the summit and declaration. The meeting of Council of Ministers of the member states is holding a meeting on November 9. Founded in 1985, the SAARC includes Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan.