India's interest in Saarc intact

India has said its interest in Saarc remains intact and the country's priority is to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in the region.

“We remain committed to Saarc and its principles and our intention is not to throw the baby out with the bath water, our intention is only to clean up the bath water,” said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs of India, during the weekly briefing on Thursday in New Delhi.

Replying to a query, he said, “It is government's priority to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region.”

"Our interest in Saarc remains intact, but our concern is that the connectivity, trade, including MFN, and cooperation that Saarc requires and the terror-free atmosphere needed for these initiatives is not there at the moment due to the actions of one country in our neighborhood,” said Swarup.

"This is why all Saarc countries wrote to the current chair of Saarc, Nepal, saying in one voice that in the current atmosphere, it is not possible for them to participate in the proposed Saarc summit in Islamabad,” he said, referring to the announcement of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan on September 27 of their withdrawal from the Saarc summit that was to be hosted by Islamabad on November 9-10.

As a result of the withdrawal, the 19th Saarc summit was postponed on September 30.

Talking about India's latest positive stance, diplomatic sources in Dhaka said India apparently refused to close the door on Pakistan and Saarc regional grouping.