The duration of the 13th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is likely to be curtailed by one day as India on Thursday suggested a two-day summit from February 6.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan disclosed Thursday night that Bangladesh will welcome the fresh date if other members agree. Dhaka was always ready to hold the summit any time, he added.
The New Age Friday quoted the foreign minister as saying that the Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh conveyed to him the suggested date of convenience over phone. Pakistan Foreign Minister Mahmood Kasuri also phoned him twice informing the latest development.
Outlining the programmes of the summit and pre-summit meetings, Morshed Khan said the process would be started on February 1 and the main summit would be spread over February 6 and 7.
Earlier, the six other nations - Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives - had agreed on a February 7-9 summit which was postponed due to the Dec. 26 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka, southern India and the Maldives.
In the wake of tsunami devastation, Bangladesh, as the host, postponed the summit scheduled on January 9-11, giving priority to the tsunami-hit members' convenience.