Sri Lankan president leaves for India in bid to revive SAARC

Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga has left for India to open talks with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in a bid to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Officials say Mrs Kumaratunga, who holds the rotating chairmanship, will try to persuade India to agree to hold the Association's 11th summit.

New Delhi has opposed this in protest at the Pakistan military's seizure of power in October 1999 in a military coup.

The summit was to have been held a month later.

Mrs Kumaratunga's visit follows a trip by her Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar to Pakistan last week where revival of the seven-member Association was discussed.

23/02/01 0:50:53 | ABC Radio Australia News

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