'India may stall Dhaka summit'

Published September 13, 2004

NEW DELHI, Sept 12: Miffed by anti-Indian remarks attributed to Bangladesh Foreign Minister Morshed Khan, India is considering calling off its participation in the Saarc summit in Dhaka in January, the Hindustan Times said on Sunday.

If this happens, the next Saarc summit will go the way as the Kathmandu summit did in 2002, which was delayed by more than a year over unusual objections by New Delhi to the political situation in Pakistan.

"Anticipating there will be no climb down by Bangladesh over Mr Khan's recent anti-India tirade, India may not participate in this year's bilateral foreign secretary talks, or in the Saarc summit Dhaka is to host early next year," the Hindustan Times said.

Mr Khan had, on Tuesday, reportedly warned of steps against Indian exports, and had apparently spoken of Indian inaction against alleged Bangladeshi insurgent camps in India.