Direct weekly flights between Pakistan and Sri Lanka from next year, an offer to open a branch of the National Bank of Pakistan in Colombo, are among the results of President Asif Ali Zardari’s four-day official visit to Sri Lanka concluded on Tuesday.
These were besides the four official agreements reached between the two countries during his visit, which included talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, official level talks, meeting with the Business forum and a visit to Parliament.
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| President Zardari on his arrival in conversation with President Rajapaksa
(Pix by M.A. Pushpakumara) |
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| The two Heads of State at the signing of bilateral agreements |
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| Pakistan President Zardari in the company of President Rajapaksa inside President’s House Shrine Room |
During the meetings, President Zardari also invited Sri Lankan parliamentarians, Buddhist monks, traders, intellectuals and political leaders to visit Pakistan to cement the ties.
Pakistan also decided to participate in an exhibition next year in Kandy of Gandhara civilisation, by sending Gandhara artifacts and relics of Buddhist civilisation for display at the exhibition.
Defence cooperation also figured in the talks, with the two sides agreeing to continue it on a sustained basis, but the emphasis was on enhancing economic and trade relations between the two countries, diplomatic sources said.
President Zardari offered assistance to Sri Lanka in the cement, sugar and dairy industry, and urged Pakistani and Sri Lankan businesses to benefit from liberal trade policies of either country, through joint ventures and investment.
The Pakistani President, during his stay, offered barter trade, a US$ 200 million buyers credit facility and enhanced military cooperation.
President Zardari said Pakistan has one of the most liberal trade and investment regimes in Asia. He said ease of doing business was improving and new avenues were being explored. President Zardari said proximity between the two countries could be used to great mutual benefit.
He said the present bilateral trade volume of US$ 300 million does not reflect the true potential of the trade between the two countries and could be easily raised to achieve the target of US$ 1 billion in the foreseeable future.
"I urge the Business communities to explore commercial opportunities, especially in non-traditional sectors."
The possibility of more agricultural production exports from Pakistan to Sri Lanka was looked into, diplomatic sources said.
The two sides inked a series of agreements to strengthen cooperation in Customs matters, abolishment of visa for officials and diplomats, agriculture, arts and an MoU for facilitation of business exchanges between the two Federations of Chambers and Commerce.
The two sides also agreed on increased intelligence sharing and exchange of ideas on counter terrorism measures, with Pakistan offering to train and equip police services of Sri Lanka to fight terrorists.
President Zardari also offered cement, steel, sugar and other industrial machinery to Sri Lanka to build its infrastructure better and also help to attract more tourists, and sought greater sharing of Sri Lankan experiences with Pakistan in tourism, gem industry and agriculture.
According to diplomatic sources, a Pakistani technical delegation will arrive in Sri Lanka in the first quarter of next year, to work out the modalities on implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries. |
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