Bilateral talks between Sri Lanka and Ukraine

Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the Ukraine Business Forum on June 30. Their speeches are reproduced below.

Full speech of Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich

I am sincerely glad to welcome President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa in Ukraine with the official visit.

I am confident this first top-level visit in the history of our countries will be a landmark event in bilateral relations and open new opportunities for development of Ukrainian-Sri Lankan cooperation.

Very rich and meaningful negotiations on a broad range of issues have just finished. They were held in a friendly atmosphere and in a spirit of mutual understanding. I am sure that development of our relations corresponds best with the interests of not only our two countries but also cooperation between the East and the West.

With Sri Lankan President we have identified the prospects for further development of cooperation on the principles of good neighborliness and mutually beneficial partnerships. We have reached agreement on stirring up bilateral consultations on the most pressing issues.

One of the priorities we consider expansion of cooperation in such areas as shipbuilding, energy, fishing, industrial and infrastructural construction.

At the same time, we stressed the need for using trade-economic potential of our countries in full. First of al it applies to investment, as well as supplies of food products from Ukraine to Sri Lanka. To this end we have agreed on a principled decision to establish a joint intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation and the Ukrainian-Sri Lankan Business Council.

In result of our negotiations we have signed several intergovernmental agreements. They significantly expand the legal framework of our relations and create a solid foundation for effective development of Ukrainian-Sri Lankan cooperation in tourism and military-technical area.

At our meeting with Mr. President, we have confirmed a common interest in uniting efforts to strengthen the multilateral system of counteraction to new global challenges and threats, including, first of all, the threat of terrorism.

Our countries have consistently advocated forming just and democratic world order aimed at peace, security and prosperity on the basis of mutual respect and consideration of interests of all countries. We spoke in favor of improving cooperation between Ukraine and Sri Lanka in the framework of the United Nations and in other multilateral forums.

Today we have agreed to maintain regular bilateral contacts at the highest political level, as well as between foreign ministries and other government bodies.

We have made an important step in development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Sri Lanka in the future. In conclusion I would like to thank President for the decision to visit Ukraine and for the frank and constructive dialogue we had today.

Full speech of President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Let me at the outset thank President Yanukovich for your words of introduction. I am pleased to speak a few words on this occasion which convenes the Ukraine Sri Lanka Business Forum. In my view this Forum is one of special significance to the relations between Sri Lanka and Ukraine, as its objective is to widen the scope of our bilateral relations beyond official contacts between our two governments, and to stimulate direct interaction between the private sector and the business communities through the promotion of economic and trade cooperation.

In today’s globalized and integrated world, participation in the global economy is necessary to generate national wealth and create employment in domestic economies. It is my intention to transform Sri Lanka into a major centre of naval, trade, air, energy and knowledge. We have encouraged the private sector to take a leading role in this process. In the future too we will follow the same policy.

It is for this reason that I have invited a delegation of key members of the private sector of Sri Lanka to accompany me in this visit. Our vision for Sri Lanka’s development is apparent. It integrates the positive attributes of market economic policies and economic growth with our own domestic aspirations for social justice and human development. I believe that this has much in common with your Excellency President Yanukovich’s own stated agenda for Ukraine.

I am pleased to inform you that we have succeeded in establishing stability in the country and ensuring investment protection. The Economist Magazine stated a year ago that Sri Lanka is among the few countries with the speediest economic growth. Furthermore, with the elimination of terrorism there is security and stability in every part of the country.

Sri Lanka has today reached the status of a middle-income developing country with free market liberalized economic policies. Today, Sri Lanka is ranked as the most liberalized economy in South Asia. With the post-conflict stimulus, our economy is expected to grow at a rate of seven percent this year, and Sri Lanka was rated one of the world’s best performing financial markets in 2009 as investor confidence grew.

One of Sri Lanka’s greatest assets is our highly skilled and educated labour force. The policy of free universal education and international schools has further strengthened this highly skilled Human Resource base.

Sri Lanka and Ukraine are geographically situated in strategically important locations in the world. Strategically located at the cross roads of both East and West sea routes and as the point of entry to South Asia, Sri Lanka since ancient times is an important centre in the trading routes.

Any visitor to Sri Lanka would see that the country is ready for a giant leap in the sectors of port, transport, energy, commercial and knowledge. At present, a port in South Colombo is being built. The Hambantota Port is also being built in the South of Sri Lanka.

Everyone agrees that Sri Lanka is becoming the Wonder of Asia. Sri Lanka is not far away from the day of becoming a major logistical hub offering advanced support services.

Sri Lanka is in the midst of revolutionizing the road network. Networks of modern highways and railway services are being constructed speedily. This network will instantly link all parts of the country.

We are ready to provide surface electricity with the construction of massive electricity generation plants at Norochcholai and Upper Kothmale. These projects are undertaken in collaboration with international partners. With all these developments we are not surprised that Sri Lanka is ranked with the best countries in world for foreign investments.

All this gives much scope for expansion of economic relations between Sri Lanka and Ukraine. I hope that the Business Forum will provide an opportunity to exchange information about each others markets, business climate, and opportunities. I hope it will also enable you to make the initial contacts with each other. Let me conclude by extending an invitation to you to visit Sri Lanka in the near future together with a business delegation from Ukraine!