Croatia to work with Lanka to eradicate terrorism

CROATIA: Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and his Croatian counterpart Ivo Sanader agreed that terrorism is a common threat to global security. They agreed to work together in the efforts to eradicate this menace.

The two sides also agreed that there was scope for initiating and strengthening cooperation in a number of areas, to further strengthen existing links between the two countries, when Prime Minister Wickramanayaka paid an official visit to the Republic of Croatia from September 10-13 at the invitation of Croatia.

Initiating the bilateral talks between the two delegations, Sanader welcomed Wickramanayaka’s visit and recalled the high-level exchanges of visits between the two countries in the past, as well the bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Croatia.

Prime Minister Wickramanayake hoped that Croatia’s aspirations to join the EU will be realised soon.

The Prime Minister also exchanged views on regional and multilateral affairs, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in multilateral fora for the benefit of the two countries.

It was agreed that Croatia and Sri Lanka could collaborate in the shipbuilding and marine sector for the mutual benefit of both countries. The ports and shipping sectors were important in the economies of both countries, and these were identified as possible areas for future cooperation.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Croatia, Aruni Wijewardane, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mahinda Bandusena and officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, Foreign Ministry and Board of Investment.

Tourism was an important dimension of the economies of both countries and cooperation in this sector could be initiated.

The positive interaction between the Chambers of Commerce of the two countries could be taken further and there was scope for further expansion of trade between Sri Lanka and Croatia.

Highlighting that the two countries are parliamentary democracies, Prime Minister Wickramanayake proposed the establishment of Friendship Groups in the Parliaments of the two countries.

Wickramanayake extended an invitation to the Croatian Prime Minister to visit Sri Lanka with a high-level business and economic delegation.

The discussions concluded with the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science, technology and sports.

The signing of the document was observed by the two Prime Ministers.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Croatia Aruni Wijewardane signed for Sri Lanka and Marija Pejcinovic Buric, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration signed for Croatia.

Wickramanayake also met President Stjepan Mesic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Minister for Foreign Affairs European Integration of Croatia.

During the visit, the delegation visited the Rijeka Port of Croatia, the Brodaski Naval Architecture Institute, and the Kraljevica shipyard.