President Mahinda
Rajapaksa addressing 
the 2nd Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in New Delhi at Tajpalace hotel today.Sri Lanka wholly with BIMSTEC against terrorism and organized crime - President said
"Sri Lanka wholeheartedly supports the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking as an important and vital milestone in our efforts on counter terrorism," said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the 2nd Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), at New Delhi today(Nov 13).
"Terrorist groups are able to sustain themselves by illegal fundraising, narcotics and people trafficking, money laundering using international networks, and arms and ammunition smuggling including through the sea routes in the Bay of Bengal. I urge you to consider setting up a mechanism to effectively police the seas of the Bay of Bengal, to deny these terrorists mobility and connectivity.
"For over two decades, Sri Lanka has been facing a tremendous challenge to our democratic way of life through the barbaric actions of a terrorist group, the LTTE. There is no doubt that such groups have to be dealt with militarily. At the same time Sri Lanka believes that any underlying causes, exploited by the terrorists in an attempt to seek legitimacy for their operations, should be dealt with politically. I wish to assure this august gathering that we are firmly on the path to a political solution," President Rajapaksa said.
He added that: "While the BIMSTEC nations have constructively and prudently engaged in the process of globalization, nevertheless the economic challenges faced by many of our major trading partners, will inevitably have some impact on our own pace of growth....The situation has therefore made all of us very much aware of the protection that regional self-reliance can afford, against global economic uncertainties."
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Pics by Sudath Silva and Chandana Perera
