By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal
Leaders of the eight SAARC nations are expected to take part in the 15th SAARC Summit scheduled in Sri Lanka on August 2 to 3. According to the available information, the host Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Pakistani Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, Bangladesh Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed, Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Bhutan Prime Minister Jigme Thinley, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the new member Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai will participate in the Summit to discuss mainly the economic issues of the region.  
 
Besides, this year’s Summit will be observed by seven States, namely, China , the European Union (EU), Iran , Mauritius , Japan , Korea and the United States . The representatives of the Observer States who will take part in the main summit are Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Dawei, EU Director-Asia James Moran, Iranian Foreign [...]