SAARC conference :PM to leave for Bhutan today

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani would leave for Bhutan today to attend the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference scheduled to be held on April 28-29. A meeting between PM Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh could also take place on the sidelines of the 16th SAARC. However, Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said that the schedule for the abovesaid meeting has not been finalized as yet. Basit maintained that the meeting would have nothing to do with the Mumbai attacks, adding that efforts are on to penalize the terror accused. He said Pakistan always wanted resumption of talks with India and added that regional security would top the talks agenda between the two leaders.He further said that Pakistan sought Kashmir issue resolution at the earliest. SAARC Summit to focus on environment and climate change: FO PDF Print E-mailBasit said SAARC Summit would adopt a declaration titled 'Towards a Green and Happy South Asia', which would focus on the problems relating to environment and climate change.He said Pakistan has played a constructive role to make SAARC a viable organization for regional cooperation, based on the principles of sovereign equality. The spokesman said, 'We believe that the SAARC can serve as a platform to build economic synergies and transform the quality of life of the peoples of South Asia'.About water issue he said South Asia is a water stressed region and should adopt a regional cooperative approach to address the issues of glacier melting, watershed management and pollution on an urgent basis.