COLOMBO: Pakistan and Sri Lanka held the fifth round of Foreign Secretary-level Bilateral Political Consultations in Colombo on Tuesday.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua while Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam headed the Sri Lankan delegation.
During the consultations, the two foreign secretaries noted with satisfaction the long-standing close and friendly relations between the two countries, which had gotten stronger over the years, and agreed that the bilateral relations should be strengthened even further.
The two delegations reviewed the entire range of the countries’ bilateral relations. Prospects of cooperation in trade, investment, defence, education, science and technology, culture, tourism, capacity building, immigration issues and sports as well as legal, protocol and consular matters were discussed.
It was agreed that joint working groups would oversee the implementation of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed between the two countries
The two sides also agreed that the ambit of Pakistan Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) should be increased, while the proposal to extend US $ 200 million and US $ 10 million by Pakistan to Sri Lanka was welcomed by the latter.
The Pakistani foreign secretary highlighted the grave violations of human rights perpetrated by Indian forces in Indian-held Kashmir. She emphasised that the international community needed to pressurise India to immediately put an end to its atrocities and to ensure an early resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue according to UN Security Council resolutions.
The two foreign secretaries also reviewed cooperation at international and regional forums and agreed to work together to make SAARC a vibrant regional organization.
Seeing the effectiveness of the consultations, the delegations decided that they would hold the next round in Islamabad in October 2018.
Foreign secretary meets Sri Lankan president
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in his office in Colombo on Tuesday.
The foreign secretary highlighted the immense feelings of warmth which Pakistanis held in their hearts for Sri Lanka, adding that this was a strong reason to further strengthen the two countries’ bilateral relations. She also expressed Pakistan’s desire to specifically expand trade between the two countries.
The Sri Lankan president said that these feelings were reciprocated by Sri Lankans for Pakistan and that he looked forward to a deepened relationship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.