Regional cooperation is essential for drug eradication: President

President Maithripala Sirisena said he is determined to call for regional cooperation for prevention of drugs and narcotics smuggling as the drug menace is harming the youths of our region. He added that he would call for such cooperation at the next Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

The president said this while speaking with Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Pakistani Air Force Commander, who called on him at the official residence in Colombo today.

President thanked Pakistan for the continuous assistance given to Sri Lanka for the training of security force personnel. He also expressed his thanks to Pakistan for extending support to Sri Lanka at the international forums.

President Sirisena conveyed his condolences over the death of more than 55 civilians in a dastardly terrorist attack in the Baluchistan Provincial capital, Quetta on August 7.

Air Marshal Aman said conveyed the greeting of Pakistan Prime minister Nawaz Shariff to President Sirisena and said that Sri Lanka and Pakistan have an excellent record of defence sector cooperation. He briefed the President on the events leading to recent tension in the Indo-Pakistan border.

Air Force Commander Gagana Bulathsinhala and Pakistan High Commissioner Syed Shakeel Hussain were also present on this occasion.