‘Charting out dynamic course’: Islamabad, Colombo sign nuclear energy deal

MoUs also inked on economics, disaster management and academic cooperation

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Sri Lanka signed at least half a dozen agreements including one on nuclear energy on Monday as the leaders of the two states pledged to take their economic ties to a new height. Accords were reached on cooperation on nuclear energy, shipping and disaster management.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who following their one-on-one and delegation-level meetings at the PM House, witnessed the signing ceremony. Appearing before the media after their exclusive meeting, the two leaders said they reviewed the whole range of multifaceted bilateral relations and expressed their full trust, as well as full understanding on several matters of common interest. “Both sides reached a broad consensus on the ways and means to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in a comprehensive manner,’ Premier Nawaz said.

President Sirisena, who is on a three-day maiden visit to Islamabad, said the two nations are charting a ‘dynamic course in relations’ and invited Premier Nawaz to visit Sri Lanka to continue the high level exchanges.

“We invite Pakistan International Airlines to recommence flights to Sri Lanka,” he added.

The six agreements signed will enhance cooperation in various fields, including disaster management, sports, anti-narcotics and academic cooperation.



The prime minister also stressed the need for regular political exchanges between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, saying parliamentary visits would further boost the relations. “Our relations are marked by cordiality and commonality of views on major regional and global issues,” he said, adding that Pakistan wishes to broaden relations with Sri Lanka in all fields of importance.

He stated that Sri Lanka enjoys the special position of being the first country with which Pakistan signed a Free Trade Agreement in August 2002. He, however, pointed out that the present $438 million volume of trade does not reflect the true potential.

“We have agreed to re-invigorate our effort to realise the goal of achieving $1 billion bilateral trade target within the shortest possible time,” he added.

Prime Minister Nawaz invited Sri Lankan companies to look into investment opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in automotive and industrial sectors, adding that there is good scope of cooperation between the two countries in the field of information technology as well.

Talking about cooperation in the fields of tourism and culture, he said, “Pakistan is home to the Buddhist civilisation and heritage and there is a great potential for religious tourism between the two countries.”

Premier Nawaz voiced gratitude to Sri Lanka for its unconditional support to Pakistan’s candidatures to the Government Board of Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and ECOSOC, a UN body for the term 2015-18.

He said the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) is an important vehicle for regional cooperation as well as for promoting peace, stability and progress.

President Sirisena said both the countries have been good friends for the last six decades. “Pakistan and Sri Lanka have ancient links between their peoples and we need to further enhance tourism and people-to-people contacts,” he stressed.

The two countries, the president said, draw strength and inspiration from the warmth of their engagement and the depth of understanding that this visit has generated for charting a more dynamic course in their relationship.

He expressed his gratitude to Pakistan for extending assistance to the country under various assistance programmes. He appreciated Pakistan for its $1 million grant for his country for the rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons and $200 million credit line.

Moreover, PM Nawaz also hosted a lunch in honour of the president, which was attended by cabinet ministers, members of parliament as well as senior government officials. Chairman joint chiefs of staff committee was also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2015.