A landmark visit

Sri Lanka has traditionally enjoyed strong ties with Iran. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's landmark visit to Iran will boost these ties further.

It was no secret that certain forces were not pleased with President Rajapaksa's high-profile State visit to Iran. In that context, the President's visit to Iran assumes more significance and reinforces the bonds of friendship between the two nations.

There are many projects for which Sri Lanka is seeking Iranian assistance. Iran's expertise in the oil industry would be of immense help to Lanka which is about to embark on oil exploration in the Mannar Basin next year. It was reported that Sri Lanka had sought Iranian assistance for expanding the crude oil refineries, which will enable the country to save a huge amount of foreign exchange.

Bilateral talks between President Rajapaksa and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have also focused on the Uma Oya project, which will benefit thousands of farmers. Iran, though not primarily an agricultural country, has a reputation for implementing major agricultural and civil engineering projects.

The two leaders have also discussed another very important issue - railways development. There is plenty of room for expanding Sri Lanka's rail service and Iran can play a major role in this regard.

Iran is also a major buyer of Ceylon Tea but the Lankan tea industry must do more to promote the beverage, especially the new varieties, in Iran through the establishment of tea centres in major cities. Such an initiative has already been proposed for Pakistan and we see no reason why the same cannot be applied to Iran.

The promotion of Direct Investments in Sri Lanka by Iranian companies is also another avenue worthy of exploration. Iran has already held a number of highly successful trade fairs in Sri Lanka.

The next logical step would be establishing Iranian companies here that can empower local youth and enrich the local economy. The President is expected to meet leading Iranian business personalities today, which would lead to expanded trade ties between the two countries.

We hope the visit would lay the foundation for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement or Economic Partnership between the two countries. That will see a substantial rise in trade volumes.

However, the most important aspect of a bilateral relationship is people-to-contact. The recent tourism pact signed by Iran and Sri Lanka can go a long way towards promoting tourism between the two countries.

The two countries should explore the possibility of having direct flights between Colombo and Tehran. The forging of mutual bonds among the two peoples will pave the way for a more vibrant relationship.

Towards better road, rail networks

There is a popular belief that apart from the roads built by the British, there has been very little progress in the road sector in Sri Lanka. This is not exactly true, but no Government has been able to dislodge this perception.

It is therefore heartening to note that the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration is taking steps to expedite road development all over the island, including the newly liberated Eastern Province. The good news is that Sri Lanka is receiving assistance from a number of countries in this vital endeavour.

During bilateral talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has promised Malaysia's help for the Colombo-Kandy super highway, a vital cog in the transport wheel.

Today, the only road linking the country's two main cities is highly congested and a one-way trip takes nearly four hours at rush hour. An expressway or super highway will ease the congestion and enable faster passenger and goods transport. A new super highway will drastically cut travel times and any toll will be worth every cent.

Similarly, work is progressing rapidly on the Southern expressway, which will reinvigorate the Southern economy. Although the Western Province is the most developed region in the country, the road network there simply cannot cope with the rising number of vehicles.

In this context, the proposed outer circular (ring) road as well as the metro system will be a major boon. In addition, the Road Development Authority is planning several flyovers for Colombo to streamline the traffic flow.

However, the Government has not forgotten the development of rural roads, in line with Mahinda Chinthana which gives priority to the uplift of rural areas. The Government's Maga Neguma and Gama Neguma programmes have in unison led to the development of rural roads, much neglected by previous administrations. Developing the rural roads is vital to strengthen the link between the city and the village.

Developing the rail network must be given equal priority. A number of new lines have been planned to expand the island's rail network. Foreign assistance and expertise should be sought to turn these plans into reality.

The dormant plans to electrify the rail network must be resurrected without delay. The newly emerging Eastern Province must also be fully integrated into the rail network, which should be computerised for a smoother, more efficient service.