29.7.2008

The Standing Committee of the 15th SAARC summit constituting the Foreign Secretaries of the eight member states of SAARC will commence deliberations today on the key issues to be taken up at the main Summit to be held from August 2 to 3.

This is the 35th session of the SAARC Foreign Secretaries. The present chair of the Foreign Secretaries of SAARC nations, Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon wills formally handover the chairmanship to Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona at the meeting.

The Foreign Ministers' meeting is to be held on July 31st and August 1st. The SAARC leaders will meet on August 2nd and 3rd.
Four agreements including the topic of eliminating terrorism from the region are expected to be signed at the leader's summi which will also see the launching of a SAARC Development Fund.

Members from seven non-SAARC countries will also take part at the summit as observers. They are, the USA, Japan, China, South Korea, Iran, Mauritius and European Union.

Meanwhile, various functions including cultural shows have been organized in line with the SAARC Summit. Accordingly, a SAARC dancing show organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Heritage will commence from today to the 1st of August at thr Kularatne Hall in Ananda College, Colombo.