Mar 30, Colombo: President Mahinda Rajapaksa will attend the 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit that takes place on April 3-4 in New Delhi.

President is likely to raise the issue of growing terrorism in Sri Lanka and how SAARC can help countering it. While in New Delhi President is also expected to discuss bilateral issues with the leaders of other South Asian governments.

Sri Lankan delegation also includes Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona.

Dr Kohona who is currently in New Delhi to attend the 33rd Session of the Standing Committee at the level of foreign secretaries which begins tomorrow, said that the main focus of the summit will be elimination of terrorism from the region. Enhancing economic cooperation in the region is another area of importance and the officers are likely to draft proposals, he said.

Terrorism, trade and transit will be the three big themes at the expanded SAARC summit next week which will include Afghanistan as its eighth member. India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan are the regular members of SAARC.

In addition the United States, the European Union, China, Japan and South Korea will participate as observers for the first time in the 22-year-old history of the group. The US will be represented by Richard Boucher, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia.