Archives

From Chatura Vidyaratne in New York

Sri Lanka and India will take speedy action to widen and enhance economic ties between the two countries. This is a sequel to a meeting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in New York on Tuesday.

The two Prime Ministers who are in New York to attend the 58th United Nations General Assembly Sessions arrived at this decision after a detailed discussion on the Indo-Sri Lanka Economic Co-operation Agreement. It was observed that both parties had appointed two separate action committees to prepare the background reports for the Indo-Sri Lanka Economic Co-operative Agreement.

Both Prime Ministers agreed to issue the initial reports of these two committees during Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's official visit to India next month.

The Economic Co-operation agreement will be formulated on the basis of these reports.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was accompanied by Economic Reforms, Science and Technology Minister Milinda Moragoda at the talks while Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee was accompanied by Indian Foreign Minister Yaswant Sinha. Meanwhile, the Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka and Portugal decided to establish closer political and economic ties between the two countries when they met in New York for a special discussion on Tuesday.

During this meeting Prime Minister of Portugal Jose Manuel Burso has said Portugal was even prepared to be helpful to Sri Lanka by way of playing any special role on its behalf within the European Union and enquired from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe whether there was any matter which needed urgent attention.

The Prime Minister of Portugal had also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to pay an official visit to Portugal for furthering political and economic relations between the two countries.

The two Prime Ministers who are in New York to attend the 58th UN General Assembly also took the opportunity to discuss at length the prospects for widening economic and cultural ties between Colombo and Lisbon.

Since the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Portuguese in Sri Lanka falls in 2005, the two Prime Ministers also agreed to celebrate the occasion in their capital cities on a grand scale.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager