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Lanka applies for ASEAN dialogue partnership

Sri Lanka has applied for the dialogue partnership of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando told Parliament yesterday.

"I have written to all Foreign Ministers of the ASEAN member countries regarding this matter," the Minister said participating in the Committee Stage debate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We missed the bus in 1965 to become a founder member of ASEAN. We had 24 hours to decide but we took the decision which was not beneficial to us at all. Again in earlier 80s it happened again. This government will make every effort to get involved in such important regional groupings," said the minister.

India has also become a dialogue partner of ASEAN. Since the regional grouping is not appointing full membership, Sri Lanka will be making its best efforts to become a dialogue partner, he said.

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