MaGE presents recommendations
Gamini S. Godakanda
The India - Sri Lanka Joint Study Group, set up under a joint
initiative of the Manipal Global Education (MaGE) of India and the
Pathfinder Foundation of Sri Lanka, has presented its recommendations to
the Governments of India and Sri Lanka.
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Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation,
Bernard Goonetilleke, hands over the report to the Secretary
to the President, Lalith Weeratunga at the President’s
Secretariat yesterday. |
The Joint Study Group was conceived as a discreet and informal
dialogue process to jointly explore ways of strengthening the bilateral
relationship between the two neighbours with a view to generating
innovative recommendations and complementing official efforts to this
end.
The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is a multi-faceted one
and has tremendous scope for significant expansion and rapid
improvement. The report sets out some of the ways in which this
potential can be realized. It recognizes that a speedy reconciliation
process would have a salutary impact on further strengthening bilateral
relations. In this regard, the report emphasizes the importance of both
governments repositioning themselves in relation to the post LTTE
realities in a pragmatic and forward looking manner.
The report recommends a structured, systematic and continuous
dialogue, based on mutual respect and sovereign equality between the
Governments of India and Sri Lanka, so as to deal with issues that arise
from time to time and remove any potential irritants. It also proposes
preparing a road-map for enhancing economic relations over the next two
decades. It calls on the latter to place a special emphasis on the
reconstruction and development efforts in northern Sri Lanka. The report
recommends intensified interaction in diverse fields, including
education, culture, fine arts, sports and media. It calls for the
effective and expeditious implementation of the report of the Lessons
Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), in particular those
relating to post-conflict reconciliation. It also calls for the
establishment of a joint mechanism for the management of fisheries and
other marine resources in the Palk Bay.
The Study Group calls upon the two Governments to pay urgent
attention to implementing the recommendations contained in the report.
The Study Group presented its report to the National Security Adviser
and the Foreign Secretary on the Indian side, and Secretary to the
President on the Sri Lankan side.
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