Official level discussions begins at 15th SAARC Summit

Colombo, July 27 : As a prelude to the 15th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, official level discussions began today in Colombo.

These discussions will continue till the day before the summit, scheduled for August 2 and August 3.

In the discussions, Foreign Secretaries and other senior officials from the eight member regional grouping will attend the Programming committee meeting.

Besides coordination and monitoring the inter-sectional priorities the meeting will identify new areas of the cooperation.

Following these discussions, meeting of the Standing Committee and the deliberations by the Council of Ministers will be held.

SAARC was founded in 1985, by the Heads of State or Governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It provides a platform for the peoples of South Asia to work together in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding. It aims to accelerate the process of economic and social development in the member States.

ANI