Fight terror, keep SAARC alive: Lankan PM

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 5

Sri Lanka today stressed if the SAARC nations failed to find a way to combat terrorism, the future of the regional organisation was uncertain.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is currently on a visit to India, made the observation after holding a delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his media interaction, Wickremesinghe was repeatedly questioned on the issue of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, which is affecting India.

On surgical strikes, Wickremesinghe diplomatically fended off, saying he discussed the SAARC question with Modi extensively and was clear that there were two areas that the regional organisation needed to focus on — cross-border terrorism and the areas where member nations could work together. “Otherwise SAARC doesn’t make sense”, he said.

Wickremesinghe said “war is not an option” and praised Modi for his handling of the crisis post the Uri attacks. “Cross-border terrorism is a big issue (in SAARC) and we have to discuss how to tackle it. I don’t think war is an option, your Prime Minister has taken a lot of steps to diffuse tensions,” said Wickremesinghe.

The issue of terrorism was also raised in Wickremesinghe‘s meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It is learnt that Singh told the Sri Lankan PM that “it is essential that our countries unite in isolating and targeting the source of ideological and financial support and training to terrorists in our region”.

Pakistan was scheduled to hold the SAARC Summit next month but following the Uri attacks, India stepped up the diplomatic game and Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, too, followed suit in boycotting the event with the Maldives and Sri Lanka pitching in later. Pakistan was then left with no option but to postpone the summit.