Parliament to hold reception for SAARC leaders

SAARC Leaders visit Parliament next Sunday (August 3) morning and a reception will be accorded to them in the House, Sergeant at Arms Anil Samarasekara said.
SAARC leaders last visited Sri Lanka for the summit held in 1998. The present summit will host leaders from Afghanistan, the new member of SAARC, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan, India Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the BMICH for two days August 2 and 3.

Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan who is attending his first international leaders’ meeting, Dr. Farukhddin Ahmed, Chief Advisor to the Government of Bangladesh, Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmey Thinley, Prime Minister of India Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of Nepal Girija Prasad Koirala, President of Maldives Moumoon Abdul Gayoom, Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Riza Gilani will be the guest leaders who will attend the reception in their honour at the Parliament.


SAARC summit this year will adopt a special declaration on mutual action against terrorism in the region that had witnessed the assassination of several of its leaders during the last two decades, including the Premier of neighbouring India Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa.