Only one country hampering spirit of SAARC, India an obstacle in regional cooperation: Pak FM Qureshi

New York: The attitude of only one country is hampering the spirit of the SAARC, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday as he accused India of being an obstacle in regional cooperation.
Qureshi’s comments after he participated in the the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation council of foreign ministers meet here on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also attended the meeting but left early. Qureshi said he did not talk to his Indian counterpart.
“She left the meeting mid way. May be she was not feeling well,” he told reporters after the meeting.
“She (Swaraj) talked about regional cooperation. My question is that how is regional cooperation possible if the nations in the region are ready to sit and you are the obstacle in those talks,” he said.
Qureshi said if the nations want to achieve something from the SAARC forum they need to move forward.
“I am not hesitating in saying that for the progress and success of the SAARC and for the connectivity and prosperity of the region, there is only one obstacle. The attitude of only one country is hampering and not letting the spirit of the SAARC and of the founding fathers fulfilled,” he said.
The remarks came days after cancellation of proposed talks between Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan by New Delhi.