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President leads SAARC team

*First foreign visit after re-election

*First overseas assignment for new External Affairs Minister

President Mahinda Rajapaksa the current Chairman of SAARC will lead Sri Lanka delegation to the eight-nation 16th SAARC Summit in Thimpu, Bhutan Wednesday. It would discuss rural prosperity as a key issue. Special concern will be focussed on bridging the gap between urban and rural communities in the distribution of economic gains.

President, Indian PM meeting
A meeting between President Rajapaksa and Indian Premier Dr. Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit is also expected to take place.

In addition, pooling of resources to draw upon by countries when in need and environmental issues too would be discussed at length.

In his maiden interaction with the media as the country’s External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that Sri Lanka also expects to use the Summit as a platform to share the experience of its recent political and military gains with other regional leaders. It is time for SAARC to evolve itself as a truly people-centric organization, Prof. Peiris said yesterday on the eve of his departure to Bhutan to participate at the 16th Summit of the South Asian Nations. “After 25 years it is a good opportunity for SAARC to take stock of the present situation. What we have to change, the challenges ahead and how best can SAARC organize itself to define its priorities to serve the region,” he added.

The Minister was of the opinion that the people of the region should be able to look up to SAARC as an organization which is directly relevant to their well-being.

SAARC should look at moving from a policy formulation stage to an implementation stage to realise this purpose, he added.

While noting that the region could derive strength from its firm stand in the face of a global economic crisis, the Minister said the regional nations should lay more focus on equal distribution of their economic gains among all sections of the people. Prof. Peiris was of the opinion that other nations could use the Sri Lankan experience to good effect when faced with similar issues.

The techniques adopted by Sri Lanka to eliminate terrorism with limited resources could provide food for thought for other regional nations affected with similar problems, he said.

In addition, the Government’s political success which was demonstrated by a near two thirds majority verdict at the recent elections too would be used to good effect, he added. Sri Lanka would also use the opportunity to improve relationships and bilateral trade with their regional neighbours, the Minister added.

This is the first time that Bhutan is hosting the Summit. President Rajapaksa holds the current Chairmanship of SAARC, which held its 15th Summit in Colombo in August 2008. SAARC is celebrating its silver jubilee this year, having held its first Summit in Dhaka in December 1985.

This will also be the first official overseas assignment for the new External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris. Several senior officials will also be in the delegation.

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