|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 5 November 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Politics | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
| President meets Indian PM, FM, Sonia : India enhances credit line The Indian Government has agreed to further enhance the existing Indian credit line to Sri Lanka and the new credit of US$ 100 million would be channelled to rural development, the President's Office announced yesterday. Indian leaders have made this gesture following talks with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who is on an official visit there. The President held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi. The credit line will be used especially for community development and the expansion of the road network. Other areas of improvement are to be identified. The much debated Sethusamudram Canal Project was another topic discussed by the President. There was agreement that all information on this project should be shared between the two countries. India pledged to make certain that the project would have no adverse consequences but only benefit Sri Lanka, the President's Office said. President Kumaratunga and Minister Natwar Singh reviewed the progress of the 1998 Indo-Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and discussed the possibilities of increasing and establishing a comprehensive economic arrangement between the two countries The issue of Indian fishermen who accidentally drift into the Northern waters of Sri Lanka was also discussed. The two leaders agreed that this needs to be sorted out in a 'humane' manner. A joint working group is to be appointed to address this issue and to arrive at a Memorandum of Understanding. Associated with the President at the discussions were Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Power & Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha, Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in New Delhi Mangala Moonasinghe, Additional Secretary to the Foreign Ministry Chithrangani Wageeswara and the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Jaliya Medagama. Minister Singh was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and External Affairs Ministry Joint Secretary for affairs of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives Neelam Deo. President Kumaratunga arrived at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport in the early hours of Thursday. The President was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Power & Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha and Government officials. President and her entourage were received by Indian External Affairs Ministry officials, Shrimathi Nirupama Rao India's High Commissioner in Colombo and Mangala Moonasinghe, Sri Lankan envoy in New Delhi. Sri Lankan Board of Investment Chief and several key businessmen are also in New Delhi to explore more Indian investments and to improve trade with India. This is President Kumaratunga's first visit to India after the UPFA Government assumed office in April this year and after the Congress victory in India in May 2004. However the Sri Lankan leader met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on two previous occasions; at the BIMSTEC summit in Thailand and in New York in September. In the coming days the President is due to meet several Indian leaders. President Kumaratunga is among the six keynote speakers at the Leadership Initiative Seminar organized by India's leading daily the Hindustan Times. In previous such seminars the speakers were former US President Bill Clinton and his Secretary of State Madeline Albright. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
