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Sri Lanka, Japan look to expedite existing projects and start new ones
View(s):Japan and Sri Lanka have discussed expediting existing projects funded by the Japanese government while looking at involvement in other projects including the construction of a section of the Central expressway.
Japan's Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu with Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena
Japanese delegation Spokesman and Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Media Secretary, Atsushi Kaifu, told journalists that the visiting Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu had conveyed the message of enhancing bilateral operation between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu held talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Ministry of Foreign Relations and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the hotel where the delegation was staying.
The Japanese Foreign Minister also visited the East container Terminal at the Colombo Port.
“Both sides shared a willingness to expedite existing projects including the east container terminal project. They also discussed about the involvement of the Japanese companies in the Central Expressway project,” the Spokesman said.
President Rajapaksa during the discussions pointed out that though Sri Lanka had a small economy it had a skilled and talented labour force and with the help of such a labour force the country could build its economy using modern technology.
The Japanese Minister during his discussions with Minister Gunawardena assured the support of the Government of Japan to strengthen and diversify cooperation between the two countries towards the realization of the vision of the new Government.
Welcoming the visiting dignitary, Minister Gunawardena conveyed Sri Lanka’s sincere appreciation for the continued assistance and support extended by Japan towards the country’s socio economic development and shared with the Minister the road map of the new Government to achieve security and prosperity for Sri Lankans.
The two Ministers discussed possible areas of cooperation across a broad spectrum of relations and agreed to explore ways and means to deepen the partnership in many fields of common endeavour. The Japanese Foreign Minister left the country yesterday morning.