WASHINGTON, Dec 28: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee seems determined to attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad, the US media reported on Sunday.

The Saarc summit has drawn the media’s attention across the United States despite their preoccupation with the war in Iraq and a presidential campaign at home.

In dispatches from New Delhi, American correspondents reported that the Indian government seems all set to send Prime Minister Vajpayee to Islamabad.

The assassination attempts on President Musharraf, the reports suggested, have raised questions about the security situation in Islamabad but most Indians want Mr Vajpayee to attend the summit.

Some Indians feel that those targeting President Musharraf are also opposed to an India-Pakistan dialogue and New Delhi would be playing right into their hands if it refuses to send its prime minister to Pakistan, the reports said.

The Indians, however, are not taking the security threat lightly. They have already sent a security team to Islamabad to discuss security arrangements and are sending a second team later this week for the final preparations, the reports said.

Other Indian delegates, the reports pointed out, are also arriving in Islamabad as scheduled. Indian Foreign Secretary Shashank arrives on Monday to attend the Saarc foreign secretary-level meeting on Dec 30-31. External Affairs minister Yashwant Sinha arrives on Jan 1, for the Saarc foreign ministers meeting on Jan 2-3. Prime Minister Vajpayee and his entourage will arrive on the evening of Jan 3 for the summit, which begins the next day. They will fly back on the evening of Jan 6.

Some reports said that attempts on President Musharraf have generated sympathy in India for the Pakistani leader, allowing Prime Minister Vajpayee to send a personal message of sympathy to the president on Saturday.

“The message also confirms Mr Vajpayee’s determination to attend the Saarc summit, notwithstanding the seriousness of the security situation,” said one report.

Several US newspapers underscored the importance of the Saarc summit as the first step towards resuming a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan. Some reports noted that the absence of dialogue between the two nuclear neighbors has dangerous consequences for the entire region.