SAARC Summit will bring immense benefits - Cabinet Spokesman

Manjula Fernando and Uditha Kumarasinghe

Commenting on newspaper reports critical of holding the SAARC summit in Colombo, Information and Media Minister and Cabinet spokesman Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said the summit could bring immense benefits to the country through enhanced regional cooperation.

He said these allegations are made by narrow minded elements who have no understanding of international political and foreign affairs. Similar allegations were thrown at the Government when the Non-Aligned Summit was organised in 1976. But it turned out to be a major success.

“Currently we maintain very close relations with India and Pakistan and are in the process of cultivating close ties with Bangladesh.”

Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said when the Free Trade agreement between Sri Lanka and India was signed in 1998 the value of the FTA was just US$ 500 million. Now it has shot up to US$ 2,750 million.