Sri Lanka remains undivided thanks to Pakistan

K. GODAGE

FOREIGN RELATIONS: Diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan established in 1948 could best be described as having been irritant free; the two countries have maintained close and mutually supporting relations but the full potential of the relationship has not been realized.

Cordial political relations have been extended on paper to many spheres of cooperation including economic, cultural and most importantly Defence. It is only in the area of defence cooperation that the relationship has been really meaningful.

Without fear of contradiction I could boldly state that Sri Lanka today remains an undivided country thanks to the support the country received particularly in 2000 when the Tamil Tiger rebels were poised to take Jaffna and declare UDI, Pakistan gave us the means to beat back the enemy.

Suffice it to state here that Sri Lanka is indeed grateful for the support it has received to maintain military preparedness. We may perhaps have been a divided country had it not been for Pakistan.

As stated earlier Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations have been irritant free. Pakistan and Sri Lanka signed a Protocol on bilateral cooperation on 6th June 1996.

In terms of the Protocol the two countries were to meet annually for consultations on cooperation but most unfortunately for reasons unknown, no regular meetings were held and the first session at Foreign Secretary level was held only in October 2004 in Colombo.

It appears to me that the political will is absent on both sides and I do hope this would change in our mutual interest.

I am indeed pleased that our President is able to keep a long overdue appointment and visit Pakistan to underscore the importance we place on the relationship with Pakistan.

The excellent bilateral relations between our two countries and the friendship between the peoples provide a good foundation for further strengthening and expanding mutually beneficial relations particularly in the sphere of economic and business activity.

At the political level it has been long agreed that our countries should make every effort to further develop our relations and multi-faceted cooperation for the common benefit of the two countries based on the tradition of friendly relations which have always existed between the two countries posing no threat to any third country.

It has also been agreed that Pakistan and Sri Lanka will work together to further enhance cooperation in the field of defence, and in particular cooperation in the training of military and Police personnel.

Towards further strengthening bilateral cooperation our two countries entered into five Agreements, including the all important Free Trade Agreement.

Free trade and comprehensive economic cooperation can only serve to strengthen our relations and would also auger well for SAARC and regional security. I do hope that the visit of our President would lead to the establishment of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with Pakistan.

President Pervez Mushareff visited Sri Lanka at the end of July 2002. It was on that occasion that the two countries signed a framework agreement for a Free Trade Agreement which, as stated earlier, has now been realized; Our able Consul General in Karachi Manel De Siva has indeed done much work to give content to the Agreement In 2005 Prime Minister Shaukat Azeez visited Sri Lanka in his capacity as Chair of SAARC; he held a series of meetings on bilateral issues with government leaders.

The visit reaffirmed the desire of our two countries to strengthen cooperation and to further develop our relations.

Whilst the focus of the bilateral meetings was on economic cooperation, the leaders sought to promote closer people to people relations including the promotion of tourism.

Our political relations with Pakistan also extends to cooperation as members of SAARC and in multilateral fora. We have always been in step and Pakistan has always supported us in difficult times when we were pilloried at the UN Commission on Human Rights particularly in the period between 1983 and 1987

I need now to flag an important act of understanding on the part of Pakistan. It was once said in reference to our relationship with India that we must swim as close as possible to the big fish to avoid being swallowed.

Former President Kumaratunge once stated "India is our immediate neighbour, with whom we have been inextricably by ties the origins of which have long been lost in the mist of time.

We have with India the broadest and deepest interaction that we as a nation could have with another state. India therefore possesses the capacity, given her vastly disparate strength and influence, to help or hinder to a great extent. In a word the India factor is crucial to the existence of our nation."

Pakistan has always been mindful of this and has never caused us any embarrassment and shown great understanding in relating to Sri Lanka.

Before I conclude I wish to refer to the fact that though our two countries have paid much lip service to the closeness of our relations there is very little to show for it other than in the area of defence cooperation or might I say of military assistance.

Though we established relations in 1948 a Protocol relating to bilateral cooperation was only signed in 1996 and then again no meetings have been held till October of last year.

Though we are neighbours and a few hours of flying time apart we have had only a few visits from either side. The political will to give greater content to the relationship and make it more meaningful seems to be absent. What could be the reason or reasons for this?

On the side of Sri Lanka is it that successive governments have been concerned as to how India would view a closer relationship with Pakistan?

What may be the reason on the Pakistan side? It is only now that our two countries are thinking in terms of closer economic cooperation but even here the foundation stone for Free Trade

Agreement, not an all encompassing Economic Cooperation Agreement, was laid in July 2002 when President Mushareff visited Sri Lanka, but it has only now been signed and we anxiously await it becoming a reality.

Closer economic cooperation will surely entrench our relationship and would pose no threat to any other country.

We need to ask ourselves the question as to what needs to be done to create the necessary political will and the interest to take this relationship forward and make it more meaningful.

It is through the integration of our economies to the furthest possible extent that this relationship can become more meaningful and it is Pakistan that should take the initiative in this regard for its economy is far stronger than that of Sri Lanka.

A particular area for closer cooperation would be in Textiles-Pakistani Mills could be established in Sri Lanka to feed the garment industry thus giving the principal industry in the country the ability to compete in the world market by qualifying for concessions available for 'double transformation'.

The Press releases after high level visits have referred to closer people to people relations and the promotion of tourism from our countries but today visiting Pakistan has become a nightmare experience, as I have myself encountered, because of the poor air links on the Pakistan side; if Pakistan is serious about a closer relationship she should permit Sri Lanka Airlines to fly not only to Karachi but also to Islamabad and Lahore - India has given us five locations to fly to in that country.

Let us hope that our relations with India would not inhibit Pakistan and Sri Lanka from forging the closest of relations just as India herself seeks to do with Pakistan.