Left asks PM to clarify proposal to make US a SAARC observer

New Delhi, Apr 12 (UNI) The Left parties today sought the government's clarification on the proposal to make the US an observer to the South East Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SSARC).

''We are unable to understand the rationale for involving the United States as an observer in the South Asian region forum,'' said Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A B Bardhan in a joint letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Asking him to clarify the government's position on the proposal, both leaders said if non-Asian powers are going to be associated with the SAARC, then other major countries of the ASEAN region and Russia would have a better claim.

''We wonder whether India's decision to support the United States as an observer is an outcome of the strategic partnership that has been worked out with the United States which necessitates direct involvement by the latter in the region,'' the leaders said in the letter.

According to them, the proposal will be discussed in the forthcoming meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of the SAARC countries when the modalities for associating China and Japan as observers are going to be worked out.

''It would be better if the Government clarifies its position in the matter,'' the letter said.

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