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Friday Dec 13, 2024
Wednesday, 9 August 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Manila: Sri Lanka and Indonesia have decided to further intensify efforts in political, economic, developmental, cultural and security cooperation as well as cooperation at regional and international fora.
The two countries agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation during discussions held between Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi on Saturday in Manila.
The two ministers also considered the ways and means of achieving concrete results in light of the recent elevation of the bilateral engagement through the highest political level interactions including the recently concluded state visit of President Maithripala Sirisena.
During the discussions both ministers agreed to expedite the negotiations for the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) as being a step towards signing an eventual Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the future. State Minister Senanayake also conveyed Sri Lanka’s desire to intensify Sri Lanka’s cooperation with ASEAN including as a future Sectoral Dialogue Partner. The State Minister of Foreign Affairs is in the Philippines to represent Sri Lanka at the grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and the 24th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
State Minister Senanayake also held bilateral discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith, Myanmar Minister of State for Foreign Affairs U. Kyaw Tin and Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn on the sidelines of the forum.
During discussions, Myanmar and Sri Lanka agreed to take steps to further elevate the good cooperation between the two countries in the areas of tourism, education and technical training as well as defence and maritime cooperation.
During the meeting with Cambodia’s Foreign Minister, economic initiatives and trade, tourism, education cooperation and longstanding cultural cooperation and Buddhist links were discussed.
Present with State Minister Senanayake at the discussions were MP Buddhika Pathirana and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Philippines Aruni Ranaraja.
