(a) whether the 11th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) scheduled to be held in Nepal in November 1999 has been postponed;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the reasons therefor;
(d) whether any fresh date for holding the Summit has since been decided;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI AJIT KUMAR PANJA)
(a) to (f) The 11th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation scheduled to be held in Kathmandu on November 26-28, 1999 was postponed in view of the military coup in Pakistan. No fresh dates for holding the Summit have since been decided. However, SAARC activities for strengthening technical and functional cooperation are being held. The meeting of the Governing Board of the South Asian Development Fund was held in Maldives in May this year. A meeting of the SAARC Technical Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development took place in Kathmandu in July 2000. Dates for holding other Technical Committee meetings are under consideration.