Lanka joins ASEAN Regional Forum

COLOMBO: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama will lead the Sri Lankan Delegation for the 14th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila from August 1 to 2.

Sri Lanka’s admission to the foremost political and security forum in Asia as its 27th member is a clear reflection of Sri Lanka’s pro-active role in regional and multilateral fora for the promotion of peace, dialogue and co-operation for the greater benefit of the Asia-Pacific region in particular and the world at large, the foreign Minister said.

Bogollagama on behalf of the Government will sign two instruments in Manila on August 1 acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation (TAC) in Southeast Asia as well as the Extension of the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asia in the presence of ASEAN Foreign Ministers and its Secretary General, by whom the invitation extended to Sri Lanka to join the ARF was formally endorsed.

The Sri Lanka delegation will participate at the ARF Foreign Ministers’ meeting on August as a fully-fledged member sealing the formal admission of Sri Lanka as the 27th member of the ARF.

Bogollagama will deliver the acceptance speech outlining Sri Lanka’s commitment to engage constructively in forum activities for the promotion of enhanced peace and security in line with the common agreed objectives with emphasis on security and preventive diplomacy.

The Minister will also share Sri Lanka’s experience in combating terrorist threats emanating from terrorist networks operation abroad such as maritime piracy, illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs, people, money laundering etc.

He will also highlight the other security considerations of the region such as tsunami and natural disasters, disaster mitigation, epidemics and their impact on asia’s development.