External Affairs Minister meets Jordan's PM:

SL's experience relevant to developing world - GL

The challenges and opportunities in Sri Lanka today transcend the specific circumstances of the country situation and are highly relevant to the experience of the developing world in general, External Affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris told Jordan's Prime Minister and Defence Minister Dr Marouf Al Bakhit during bilateral discussions in Amman.

He also had a meeting with Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. Prof Peiris provided a detailed briefing on developments in Sri Lanka during these consultations with the leadership of the Royal Jordanian government, a member of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He emphasized the need for vigilance against front organization being used by terrorist groups to act in their interests. The minister pointed out that the conferment of legitimacy on these front organizations which assume a variety of forms, operates as a grave impediment to effective action against terrorism on a global scale.

The Jordanian leadership, recalling the meeting of President Mahinda Rajapaksa with King Abdulla II in 2009 during the visit of President Rajapaksa to Jordan to participate in the Economic Forum, identified Jordan's relationship with Sri Lanka as 'very special' in character and commended the Sri Lanka government for its achievements in defeating terrorism and putting the country on the path of development and prosperity.

Jordan's foreign minister accepted the invitation by his counterpart to visit Sri Lanka in October or November this year. He said that he is likely to be accompanied by two ministerial colleagues and by a delegation of Jordanian business leaders who could interact with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka.