India points at developments in Kathmandu, Dhaka

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday decided not to attend the Saarc Summit in Dhaka "against the background of recent developments in our neighbourhood which has caused us grave concern."

India said the security situation in Dhaka had worsened recently after a grenade attack which killed five people including former finance minister SAMS Kibria and sparked a general strike.

"The security situation in Dhaka has deteriorated in recent days following the fatal attack on the former finance minister of Bangladesh," an Indian foreign ministry statement said.

The situation in neighbouring Nepal, where King Gyanendra on Tuesday sacked the government and seized power, was another factor in the decision, Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told a press conference.

"We have set out very clearly our reasons for this decision. It is not directed against the country (Bangladesh). What has happened in Nepal is not an ordinary event. What has happened in Bangladesh is not an ordinary event," Saran said.

He denied a suggestion India did not want to share the stage with the Nepalese king who was due to attend.

India said it would work to make sure a summit is held in the near future.

"The government of India wishes to reiterate its continuing and consistent commitment to the Saarc process and to increase regional cooperation among member states," the foreign ministry statement said.

"It is only in an environment free from political turmoil and violence that a summit would yield the desired outcome," it said.

"We have formally communicated to the government of Bangladesh that India will not be able to attend the forthcoming SAARC summit in Dhaka on the scheduled date and a request has been made for fresh dates to be worked out through consultations among the member states," the statement added.

The statement said India would work to make sure the summit was held in the near future and that it had requested fresh dates.

"It is only in an environment free from political turmoil and violence that a summit would yield the desired outcome," it said.

But Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan said the repeated postponements could make the regional grouping a laughing stock.

"We are disappointed because the delegates were working around the clock to prepare the agenda for the meeting," he told AFP.