Iran gives $15b aid for Lanka

Rohan Mathes in Tehran

Sri Lanka has received US $15 billion as aid from Iran for development schemes including the modernisation of the Oil Refinery and several irrigation schemes including the Uma Oya scheme.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Iran from November 26 to 28 opened a new chapter in the centuries old friendship and relations between the two countries, sources said.

The President’s official tour of Iran has been highly successful and rewarding, a joint statement issued by the two countries following the conclusion of the President’s tour on November 27 said.

Meanwhile, private sector business co-operation between Sri Lanka and Iran will be further enhanced with the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding with the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka and the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka.

A joint statement between Sri Lanka and the Islamic Republic of Iran yesterday said President Mahinda Rajapaksa accompanied by a high-ranking political-economic delegation paid an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran from November 26 to 28 on the invitation of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad.

President Nejad welcomed President Rajapaksa at a formal ceremony at the presidential office site. After the welcoming ceremony, the two Presidents during official talks attended by high-ranking officials of the two sides discussed various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries.

The two sides stressed their determination to further promote their mutual co-operation in political, economic, trade, cultural, scientific and technological fields.

The official talks were held in an amicable atmosphere and the views of the two sides were identical on different issues.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction on the agreements and MoUs reached between the two countries in the areas of power supply, irrigation, oil refinery in Sri Lanka, and further strengthening co-operation in the areas of Customs, maritime shipping and promotion of tourism between the two countries.

President Rajapaksa also called on the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali-Khamenei.

The two Presidents also discussed the current important regional and international developments and stated that unilateral and interventionist policies are against the principles of democracy and harm the world peace and stability.

The two sides condemned terrorism as a phenomenon which is increasingly threatening the world and stressed the need for international co-operation to deal with the root causes of this problem.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Sri Lanka laid emphasis on the inalienable right of the NPT member states to research, development and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with the provisions of related international instruments.

The two sides believe that the IAEA is the sole competent authority to verify the legal and technical issues related to the IAEA safeguards and the compliance of states with their obligations under NPT.

The two sides reiterated the importance of nuclear disarmament particularly the need for the nuclear powers to destroy their nuclear weapons based on the decisions of the relevant international meetings.

The two sides, while reiterating the importance of removing all nuclear weapons from the world, called for the creation of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.

The two sides expressed deep concerns over the violence against the Palestinian people and Palestinian lands and recognised the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and at the highest level continue to express solidarity with the Palestinian people. Both sides also expressed the hope that the differences among different groups in Palestine will be resolved amicably.

The two sides, emphasised the need for the consolidation of national unity and understanding, peaceful coexistence and preservation of the stability, security and peace in Lebanon.

Sri Lanka stressed the need for the preservation of the territorial integrity and unity of Iraq and participation of all Iraqi groups in the political process and expressed their support to the efforts of the Iraqi representative Government to restore security and stability in Iraq.

The two sides, expressed concern over the escalation of insecurity and instability in Afghanistan, and to support the progress made in the country and stressed that the first priority in Afghanistan is the restoration of peace and stability through the central government of this country.

Iran and Sri Lanka agreed to adhere to the principles of the regional institutions such as Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation, South Asian Association Organisation, Colombo Plan and support the enhancement of bilateral economic co-operation in the areas of tourism, trade, investment, within the framework of regional economic co-operation.

Both sides given the ever increasing importance of regional economic co-operation, agreed to welcome and support various initiative for the development of such co-operation in Asia through the inter-linkage of existing regional arrangements such as Economic Co-operation Organisation, South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation, Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Colombo Plan.

President Rajapaksa, thanked the Iranian Government and people for the hospitality accorded to him and his delegation during his visit.

President Rajapaksa, invited President Ahmadi Nejad to pay an official visit to Sri Lanka in March/April 2008 in line with the regular exchange of visits between the top-ranking officials of the two countries. The invitation was accepted by the Iranian President.

The date of the visit shall be determined through diplomatic channels.