New Delhi, Oct 21 (UNI) India has said it was committed to SAARC as a body for regional cooperation and trade and its interest remains intact. Replying to a question on whether India was looking at a SAARC minus Pakistan, Ministry for External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "Our government’s priority is to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region and to carry on these initiatives, a terror-free atmosphere is needed." Not naming Pakistan, he added, "At the moment due to the actions of one country in our neighborhood, initiatives like connectivity, trade, including MFN, and cooperation is not possible". The MEA official said, "We remain committed to SAARC and its principles and our intention is not to throw out the baby with the bath water, our intention is only to clean up the bath water". All SAARC countries had written to the current Chair of the regional body, Nepal, saying in one voice that in the current atmosphere it was not possible for them to participate in the proposed SAARC Summit in Islamabad, Mr Swarup added. Notably, following the Uri terror attack, India had taken a strong stand to isolate Pakistan and also boycotted the SAARC summit which was scheduled to be held in Pakistan. During the recently concluded BRICS-BIMSTEC summit in Goa, Prime Minister Narendra while targeting Pakistan, had said that the time for condemning the state sponsored terrorism was long gone, and "it was time to stand up and act, and act decisively". He had said that terrorism had become the neighbouring country’s favourite child, and the child was now in turn defining the fundamental character and nature of its parent. UNI RBE SB 1314