SAARC foreign secretaries arrive in Nepal, as India says no talks

KATHMANDU, July 9 (AFP) -- Foreign secretaries from a South Asian regional grouping began arriving here Tuesday ahead of a meeting in Nepal, as Indian officials said they would not be holding bilateral with Pakistan. The two-day meeting, which begins Wednesday will discuss the holding of the next South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, which was due in January but delayed indefinitely by host Pakistan after India did not confirm its attendance. Foreign secretaries from Bangladesh, Bhutan the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka had already arrived in Kathmandu, with Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal due to arrive later Tuesday, foreign ministry officials said. SAARC, founded in 1985, has few accomplishments to show for itself due to the constant feuding between India and Pakistan, which have fought three full-fledged wars. But the nuclear rivals, which are bitterly divided over Kashmir, are inching towards dialogue after a 10-month military standoff last year. The two countries are resuming a bus service and full diplomatic relations cut off after a December 2001 attack by Islamic militants on the Indian parliament. But Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha said in New Delhi on Tuesday that there would not be any bilateral meetings with Pakistan on the sidelines of the summit. "I don't think so that is part of our approach," he told reporters. Sinha said New Delhi would rather err on the side of caution and stay away from bilateral contacts with Pakistan during the secretary-level meeting in Kathmandu of SAARC. "We want to move ahead with caution through a step-by-step approach and we are moving ahead in that direction," Sinha said. An Indian foreign ministry spokesman also said no separate meeting was planned between the officials of India and Pakistan. "As far as I am aware, there are no plans for any bilateral meeting," the spokesman said. On Tuesday, a SAARC preparatory committee held a meeting ahead of Wednesday's secretary-level session, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa. Nepalese Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Indian, Pakistani and Bhutanese foreign secretaries.